Lahore: Punjab Home Minister Hashim Muhammad Dogar denied reports of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill being subjected to torture in prison. Talking to media after visiting Gill who was arrested last week for passing controversial remarks at a programme aired on ARY News at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, Dogar said PTI leader was “completely fine, there is no problem”. “I am very clear. Question doesn’t even arise. No one dares to even lay a finger on any prisoner in jail, let alone Shahbaz Gill.

 I will take direct action if someone does,” he said, adding that he would meet PTI Chairman Imran Khan and apprise him about “actual situation”.

Dogar said he would hold prison officials to account if there was violence against any prisoner. He said it was his job to investigate reports of torture and violence at any prison and reiterated that nothing of sort had happened, requesting media to not spread rumors. But in a tweet later in day, Dogar said that he had come to know that Gill was illegally kept in chakki on his first night in prison, adding that this should not happen with any prisoner.

His statement comes a day after former Prime Minister Imran Khan alleged that Gill was stripped naked, beaten and mentally tortured behind bars and expressed disappointment at treatment meted out at his chief of staff.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 17 2022

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