Rana Sanaullah, the interior minister, rejected PTI claims of torture of accused Shahbaz Gill in police custody, saying that no evidence was found in the inquiry.

“Torture is a clear-cut violation of the dignity of a man,” he said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. “We condemn any kind of torture. The Punjab government is responsible if Shahbaz suffered torture in jail.”

The Islamabad Police arrested Gill on August 9 on charges of sedition and inciting the public against the state institutions, which the government said was done “in accordance with law”, after making “controversial” remarks on ARY News channel. It alleged that a conspiracy was hatched against the state institutions after a meeting presided over by the PTI chief, following Lasbela helicopter crash.

The district and sessions court in Islamabad on Friday directed police to shift Gill to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital after hearing the police plea for further remand of the accused. Judicial magistrate Raja Farrukh Ali Khan also ordered that Gill’s medical check-up must again be conducted. The Islamabad police had brought Gill in an ambulance to the court. Crying and coughing Gill reached the courtroom in a wheelchair and claimed that his mask was taken away. Many politicians and journalists had raised concerns over images and videos of the PTI leader.

Sanaullah shared a video clip, which he claimed showed Gill “fit”, alleging that the PTI leader led the viewpoint of Imran Khan.

The interior minister slammed the PTI for apparently orchestrating a drama. Sanaullah’s presser comes just a day after Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb shared a 19-second clip with the media to counter Shahbaz Gill’s claims of torture.

He also shared an excerpt from the speech of Imran Khan’s speech on August 20. The PTI announced that they would move the Supreme Court against Gill’s arrest and alleged torture, and will also seek legal action against the Islamabad police chief and his deputy as well as the magistrate who sent their party leader on physical remand.

“We will not let them succeed in their designs to divert the people’s attention by creating a drama,” he said and demanded that if there were any pieces of evidence then bring them to light.

Sanaullah said: “There is no treatment of this drama in hospital or doctors have. Only, I have a treatment for this. I ask you [the Punjab government] to send this man to us. We will conduct inquiries and make him fit in a few days.”

He reiterated that the provincial government, which is ruled by PTI and PML-Q, was answerable for the apparent torture.

He alleged that the PTI wanted to create chaos in the country through their version of political developments. “We condemn Imran Khan’s statements. He should apologise to the nation for his actions.”

‘Stronger response than May 25’

Sanaullah threw the gauntlet and said the government would give more befitting response to the PTI than they gave on May 25 while reacting to the PTI chief’s call for the long march.

The interior minister’s warning came in reaction to Imran’s call for another round of street protests against the coalition government starting today (Sunday).

Govt thinking to file case against Imran over ‘threatening speech’

The government was holding legal consultations on whether to file a separate case against PTI chief Imran for his “provocative speech” a day ago or nominate him in a previous case, the interior minister said.

“This is all happening in continuation — from a campaign after Lasbela incident when six army officers were martyred followed by Gill’s attempt to incite army ranks to go against their top command and then Imran threatening a woman judge and police officials for performing their duties as per the law,” he said.

He added that his ministry had prepared a report and it was conferring with the Islamabad advocate general and the law ministry. It would take a couple of days to reach a final decision.