ISLAMABAD: The doctors conducted an Electrocardiogram (ECG) on PTI leader Shahbaz Gill last night, who was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) due to "breathing" issues, which did not come out fine, said the hospital sources.
Former prime minister and Chairman PTI Imran Khan's Chief of Staff Shahbaz Gill was shifted to the PIMS hospital late Wednesday after an hours-long drama over his custody.
The sources privy to the matter said that the ECG results revealed that his heartbeat was more than normal. Referring to Gill’s illness, the sources added that anxiety can cause breathing issues and affect the heartbeat of a person.
Shahbaz Gill, however, was not suffering from cardiac or chest pain and his overall health condition was satisfactory. The doctors may perform an ECG on the PTI leader today, the sources said, adding that the doctors’ board will do a medical check-up of Gill today at the hospital.
It is pertinent to mention here that Gill has been in police custody since August 9 when the Islamabad police arrested him in a sedition case after he passed controversial remarks on a private news channel.
According to the Islamabad police spokesperson, he was booked on charges of sedition and inciting members of state institutions against the Pakistan Army.
According to a report prepared by the medical board overseeing Gill’s treatment at the hospital, the PTI leader needs continuous monitoring and assessment by cardiologists and pulmonologists.
In the report that was submitted to the court, board members Prof Lal Rehman, Dr Ali Miraj Shami, Prof SH Waqar, and Prof Shajee A Siddiqui said that Gill "may need further investigations if required".
In its report, the medical board also said that Gill "is a known case of asthma since childhood and has been on inhaled bronchodilators when required, now presented with shortness of breath, body aches, including left shoulder, back, neck, fight gluteal region and left-sided chest pain".
The board further recommended 10 tests for Gill.
Talking to the media at the hospital's premises at night, PTI Punjab leader Ejaz Chaudhry said: "Who will be responsible if something happens to Shahbaz Gill?"
Chaudhry also raised questions regarding the presence of irrelevant people in Gill's hospital room. "There are uniformed police personnel inside the room. There are also some others who should not have been there," Chaudhry said.
"I demand the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) take suo moto notice of the situation at the hospital."
Chaudhry also raised the question: "Though a board of doctors has decided to keep Gill under its observation, why are police swarming his room?"
"They should stay outside the room," he said.
Punjab Home Minister Hashim Dogar said Gill "faces a serious threat to his life", and so he appeals to the higher judiciary to intervene "for the sake of human rights".
"Shahbaz Gill was subjected to physical torture in the presence of the Islamabad police. However, his condition improved during the last three days," Dogar said.
"He [Gill] has been severely depressed. His condition deteriorated when he knew he was again being remanded into police custody," he said.
Referring to the August 17 struggle between the Islamabad and Rawalpindi police forces, the Punjab minister criticised the Islamabad police, saying it shifted Gill to Islamabad under the guard of the Rangers. The Punjab police tried to shift Shahbaz Gill to a nearby hospital, he said.