Punjab ministers at odds over Gill’s ‘torture’

RAWALPINDI: Punjab Home Minister Col (retd) Muhammad Hashim Tuesday denied rumours that PTI Chairperson Imran Khan’s chief of staff Shahbaz Gill was tortured in police custody.

Speaking to journalists outside the Central Jail, Adiala, in Rawalpindi, where Gill is imprisoned, the home minister said: “He is perfectly alright in the jail. There is no question of him being beaten up.” He said that he met Gill and he was fine. “I will brief the PTI chairperson regarding the health condition of Gill,” he added.

Dogar further stated that several people came to meet the PTI leader during custody, adding that this was the federal government’s case and the Adiala Jail was only his ‘custodian’.

The home minister highlighted that there were more than 40 jails in Punjab and the security and food provided in the jail were good. Replying to a question, he said: “I do not support Gill’s statement. Absolutely not.”

Meanwhile, taking to his Twitter handle, Provincial Minister for Cooperatives, Environment Protection and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja said officers of the Adiaja Jail were being removed. “DIG and Superintendent Adiala jail are being removed from their posts on their criminal silence about illegal actions being done with political prisoner Shahbaz Gill.”

On August 12, the former prime minister took to the Twitter and “strongly condemned the torture being inflicted on Shahbaz Gill”.

Gill was arrested on August 9 from the Banigala Chowk in the capital a day after making controversial remarks on a private TV channel. He was subsequently booked on charges of sedition and inciting members of state institutions against the Pakistan Army.

A treason case was registered against him at the Kohsar Police Station under several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 124-A (sedition), 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot if rioting be committed; if not committed), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), among others.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed a district and sessions court judge to rehear the petition to review the dismissal of Shahbaz Gill’s physical remand in a sedition case filed against him. The directive came during the announcement of the verdict reserved on the admissibility of the federal government’s petition against the rejection of an extension in the physical remand of the senior PTI leader, sought under a separate plea.

Islamabad Advocate-General Jahangir Jadoon, on August 13, had moved the IHC seeking its order to declare the decision taken by the district and sessions court null and void while extending the physical remand of Shahbaz Gill, a close aide of PTI Chairperson Imran Khan. After hearing arguments from both sides during Tuesday’s hearing, IHC Chief Justice Justice Farooq ruled that the government’s plea against the orders of the judicial magistrate is admissible and directed the sessions court to hear the police’s request today. The IHC CJ ordered the sessions judge to decide the case on merit. “It is not the jurisdiction of the high court to see for how long an accused has to be remanded. No matter how serious the offence is, only the magistrate is to look into the matter of remand,” Justice Farooq said.

Meanwhile, the court took up Shahbaz Gill’s plea — seeking dismissal of the FIR against him — for hearing together with the government’s plea. Accusing the police of lodging a sedition case against him on the directives of the federal government, Gill pleaded with the IHC to declare the FIR against him null and void. He maintained that the case registered against him was based on malice, adding that the Islamabad Police registered the case to show its loyalty to the government.

Also, a seven-member delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators Tuesday expressed serious concern over the alleged police torture of Dr. Shahbaz Gill in detention. The delegation visited the Adiala Jail and held a meeting with Gill. The delegation was led by Senator Dr. Shahzad Wasim and comprised Saifullah Niazi, Shibli Faraz, Azam Swati, Abdul Qadir, Saifullah Abro and Sardar Gurdeep Singh. The senators inquired after Gill.

The delegation expressed deep concern over the alleged police torture of the PTI leader and said it would inform the party leadership about the situation regarding the meeting.