F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: PTI chief Imran Khan on Friday announced rallies in support of his detained chief of staff Shahbaz Gill, who he alleged was the victim of “gruesome” torture that included sexual abuse. “If a political worker [like Shahbaz Gill] can be subjected to such torture, it could happen to anyone,” the ex-premier said in a brief conversation with reporters outside Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
The former premier went there to inquire after the detained Gill’s health but was unable to do so as the police reportedly stopped him. As plans of the former premier’s visit to Pims were announced by Babar Awan earlier today, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police put out a statement on Twitter that the suspect [Gill] was not on physical remand, hence no one was allowed to meet him. The police also cautioned against disrupting the law and order, warning it would take action.
When Imran reached the hospital to meet him, he was barred from entering the premises. Officials privy to the development told media on condition of anonymity that PTI’s legal counsel Faisal Chaudhry spoke to the police team who asked the party representative to seek permission from a court to meet Gill. After failing to meet Gill, the PTI chief stopped to speak briefly with reporters. Clad in black, he announced that he was taking out a rally in Islamabad on Saturday evening in support of the incarcerated party leader and urged people to turn out in large numbers.
Imran said the rally will also be organised at all divisional headquarters of the party across the country. A couple of hours before his attempt to meet the party leader, Imran also tweeted condemnation over the “gruesome torture” allegedly inflicted on Gill during custody. He tweeted that all the pictures and videos clearly showed that Gill was tortured “mentally and physically including sexual abuse”.
He said the Islamabad police had denied inflicting any torture and raised a question: “Who tortured Gill? There is a general perception in the public at large and in our minds too as to who could have carried out the gruesome torture.” The former premier warned: “Remember the public will react. We will leave no stone unturned to find out those responsible and bring them to justice.”
Meawhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has directed to provide maximum legal and moral assistance to Shahbaz Gill besides expressing serious concerns over subjecting the politician to severe torture in police custody.
Imran Khan chaired a consultative session today for reviewing the current political situation and PTI’s strategy. He directed the party leaders to expedite the preparations for the PTI rally scheduled on August 21. Imran Khan will also lead a rally in Rawalpindi on Saturday (tomorrow) which will be concluded at F-9 Park Islamabad to demand the release of Gill. The former premier directed the PTI legal team to vigorously fight Gill’s case.
