GUJRANWALA: A Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) supporter detained in the recent police crackdown in Punjab died on Wednesday under mysterious circumstances in the central jail of Gujranwala city.

The 35-year-old Shoaib was a resident of the Noor Bawa area of Gujranwala and had left home on the eve of August 13 to attend the march following which he was detained. His family had however claimed that he went missing.

The relatives said that they searched for Shoaib following his disappearance but could not get any news of his whereabouts.

His family members moreover said that they were informed on Tuesday night about Shoaib's death by the central jail's administration in Gujranwala.

Subsequently, jail authorities handed the body to Shoaib's family after conducting a postmortem. A report of the post mortem is still to come.

Police sources claim he died due to a heart attack. However, his brother said that Shoaib was subjected to torture during his detention leading to his death.

Previously, the Punjab police had rounded up over 300 PAT activists across Punjab in the week-long crackdown under the 16 Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

Read more: Crackdown on PAT goes on

The police had rounded up 95 PAT workers in Rawalpindi, 23 in Jhelum, 39 in Attock and 20 in Chakwal.

Several other PAT workers were also arrested from Taxila and Wah Cantonment.