Daily Times

Acting Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamir Farooq in a 21-page written order said on Wednesday that the allegations of torture against the PTI leader “cannot be ignored”, directing the Ministry of Interior to conduct an inquiry into them. The judge further ordered the Interior Ministry to appoint an inquiry officer under the supervision of a retired high court judge. The PTI leader had been arrested for sedition and inciting the public against state institutions earlier this month. On Tuesday, while disposing of the plea against the further physical remand of Gill to the police, Justice Farooq had directed that during the physical remand of Gill, an officer of the rank of senior superintendent of police should supervise and ensure that no violence was inflicted on Gill. In the detailed order Wednesday, the court said that the IG Islamabad denies Gill’s claims of torture and that according to Adiala Jail’s medical officer’s record, when the PTI leader arrived he had “multiple injuries and marks” on his body. As per the rules pertaining to prisoners, Gill should have had a medical examination immediately, noted the detailed judgment. It also stated that the jail authorities were bound by the law to report the injuries to the sessions judge and the in-charge prosecution. However, the court said that “the jail authorities failed to report Shahbaz Gill’s torture to the sessions judge or the advocate”. “Torturing the accused cannot be permitted under the guise of gathering evidence,” read the written order. “The Constitution and the courts are the guardians of prisoners’ rights and protectors against torture,” it stated.