ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday ordered the Ministry of Interior to launch an inquiry into the allegations of custodial torture on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill.
Justice Aamer Farooq, acting chief of IHC, issued a detailed 21-page verdict, asking the ministry, headed by Rana Sanaullah Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to appoint an inquiry officer under the supervision of a retired high court judge.
“An SSP rank officer will supervise the physical remand of Shahbaz Gill to ensure there should be no torture of him,” the court ordered.
“Upon his arrival at Adiala Jail, the physical examination of Shahbaz Gill was recorded in the record register. The medical officer wrote in the register that Gill had multiple injuries and marks on his body. He should have had an immediate medical examination as per the rules about the prisoners,” the verdict read.
“According to the law, the jail authorities were bound to report to the sessions judge and the in-charge prosecution. But, the jail authorities reported torture of Shahbaz Gill to neither the sessions judge nor the advocate general,” it added.
“A medical board was constituted on August 13 and August 15 to examine Shahbaz Gill. According to the police, Shahbaz Gill refused to undergo a medical examination by the medical board which gave a report on Gill’s health but made no mention of torture. The chief of Islamabad police also denied torture of Shahbaz Gill,” it stated.
“The allegations of torture of Shahbaz Gill cannot be ignored. The Constitution and the courts are the guardians of the prisoners’ rights. The torture of an accused on the pretext of collecting evidence cannot be allowed,” it stressed.
