Pakistan court orders prison to give Imran Khan access to international calls, doctor of choice

A special court in Islamabad rejected a report from prison authorities Wednesday that sought to block former Prime Minister Imran Khan from contacting his sons abroad and receiving medical care from his personal physician.

The court ordered Adiala Jail officials to provide Khan with both facilities, reaffirming its previous rulings on the matter from January and February. Prison officials have been instructed to submit a compliance report by May 21.

The ruling marks the latest development in the ongoing legal battle over Khan's detention conditions since the cricket star-turned-politician was imprisoned on multiple charges after his removal from office in 2022.

In their rejected report, jail authorities had argued that allowing Khan to make international calls and receive care from his personal doctor violated prison regulations and created inequality among inmates. They claimed such privileges weren't specified in the 1978 Jail Rules and would prompt similar demands from other prisoners.

The superintendent specifically cited Article 25 of Pakistan's Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law, claiming that Khan's special treatment undermined this principle. Officials also noted that Adiala Jail currently houses 93 foreign prisoners who wish to contact family abroad but haven't received such privileges.

Prison authorities further alleged that Khan was already enjoying "exceptional facilities" during his incarceration, though they didn't specify what these entailed.

The court dismissed these arguments, standing by its original orders from January 10, January 28, and February 3 regarding Khan's detention conditions.

Khan, who served as Prime Minister from 2018 until his ouster through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, faces multiple legal challenges. His supporters maintain the cases against him are politically motivated.