LAHORE, Oct 10: The family of Ayesha Malik says that it is receiving threats from the Punjab government for not withdrawing the claim that she (Ayesha) has a “matrimonial relation” with a scion of the Sharif family.

Khwaja Imran Nazir, spokesman for Hamza Shahbaz, dismissed the claim saying if Ms Malik has any proof (of her marriage with Hamza) she may bring it forth.

“Severe torture has been inflicted on my daughter (Ayesha) and grand daughter (Mahnoor) on the order of the chief minister secretariat. Investigation Officer Zulifqar Cheema kept torturing Ms Ayesha for hours, pressing her to write it down that she has no relation with Mr Hamza and that she will not talk about it before media,” Rifat Ahad told Dawn on Monday.

The wife of ailing PML-Q leader Ahad Malik said the PML-N people, including an MNA, an MPA, a former prosecution secretary, a senior official of the Punjab government and a journalist, were on forefront in ensuring that she (Ayesha) must ‘cooperate’ when she was in police custody.

“We are receiving threats from the chief minister to ‘shut up’ otherwise get ready to face the music,” she said and further alleged that Hamza contracted marriage with Ayesha one-and-a-half years ago. “We have proof and will present before the media shortly.” She said the way Ayesha had been brutally tortured clearly showed the ‘guilt’ of the Sharifs. “Now they are creating hurdles in getting Ayesha’s medico-legal. Thanks God the court has directed the government to get it done,” she said.

Ms Rifat asked the Sharifs to accept her daughter in the family respectfully. Mahnoor (Ayesha’s teenaged daughter from her first husband) told Dawn that Zulfiqar Cheema even did not spare her.

“Cheema told me that he would stop hitting me if my mother (Ayesha) cooperates with him,” she said and urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take action against all those responsible for severe torture on her and her mother. She said the phone calls record of the police officials should be checked to ascertain from where they were receiving ‘directions’.

MPA Khawaja Imran Nazir said that Ayesha Malik and her family were trying to defame the PML-N leadership which “we strongly condemn”. “If she had contracted marriage with Mr Hamza she should present the proof. But in fact there has been no such thing and the family has some vested interest,” he said. He also denied that the Punjab government or PML-N had influenced her case in the police station.

A Lahore High Court division bench on Friday released Ayesha Malik on bail and ordered an inquiry against the anti-terrorism court judge who had remanded her in 10-day police custody for her alleged involvement in the kidnap of a Filipino maid’s son.

Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry suspended the remand order by ATC judge Tahir Pervaiz and directed LHC’s human rights and vigilance cell director general Kazim Ali Malik to probe into the conduct and integrity of the judge (Pervaiz) and submit a report by the next hearing on Oct 13.

The CJ also took notice of the insertion of Section 365-A of PPC in the FIR and ordered the inspector general of Punjab police to take action against the Defence-A station house officer and the in-charge investigation. He directed the IG to ask DIG Maj Mubasharullah (retired) to hold an inquiry against both policemen.

DIG Mubasharullah told Dawn on Monday that he had not yet received any order from the IGP to conduct an inquiry against the police officials in the case.

PML-N’s political rivals –PPP, PML-Q and MQM – have meanwhile contacted Ayesha and extended their help in getting her justice. Sources said the presidency has also approached the family.