ISLAMABAD: The former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday condemned the brutal torture of Shahbaz Gill in police custody alleging that Gill was forced to give a statement against him, however the PTI chairman distanced himself from his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill’s controversial remarks saying he shouldn’t have said it.
Gill was arrested last week at Banigala Chowk in the capital after a video clip of his controversial remarks went viral on social media.
In an interview with journalist Fereeha M Idrees on GNN News today, Imran Khan said that he was “extremely upset” with the treatment meted out at Gill in prison. “It is extremely painful. I didn’t even know this […] Our lawyers told us that his clothes were stripped off and he was beaten up.
Its 2022 yet nothing changes if absolute power is in the hands of tiny men. I have full faith Its changing now though. Must be a scary time for these tiny men. They aint seen nothing yet. pic.twitter.com/LTmSMI00iN
— Jarrar Shah (@jerryshah) August 15, 2022
“They are torturing and trying to mentally break him. And they are forcing him to give statements against Imran Khan,” the ex-premier alleged, adding that if “Imran has to say something, he will say it himself […] he doesn’t need Shahbaz Gill for that”.
He further revealed that Gill was asked about “Imran and Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed’s meetings”.
Talking about Gill’s comment, the former premier said “He [Gill] shouldn’t have said it because it falls under instigating the army […] it is completely right […] we want to see army as a strong institution.”
However, the PTI chief contended that statements against the establishment were also passed by coalition government leaders Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maryam Nawaz, Ayaz Sadiq, Nawaz Sharif and others in the past.
“But what happened with them?”
Imran also claimed that everything that happened with Gill was a conspiracy to “scare PTI supporters” and “create an impression that PTI is against the army and martyrs”.
“This propaganda campaign was created in the prime minister’s cell,” he alleged, adding that the closure of ARY News was also part of the conspiracy.
“This is all their plan to shut my supporters,” the former prime minister pointed out, continuing that the same was being done with YouTubers who spoke up in support of him.
