Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan, gestures as he speaks to members of the media at his residence in Lahore, Pakistan May 18, 2023.
A Pakistani court eased on Thursday the restrictions on jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, allowing him to receive visits from family, lawyers, and party members.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail officials to provide all permissible amenities, including access to newspapers and potential arrangements for WhatsApp communication, as per jail regulations.
The move coincides with recent bail approvals for several PTI figures, including Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, his sisters, Aleema and Uzma Khan, and various party workers. All of them have been released.
The former prime minister, while speaking to reporters in Adiala Jail two days ago, had accused the jail authorities of maltreatment, contending that he is being treated “worse than animals”.
“I was tortured by being confined in a cage and treated worse than animals. This was an extremely vile act. The electricity to my cell was shut off for five days, leaving me in complete darkness. I was confined to the cell for 10 days. For several weeks, any visits by family members, doctors, or lawyers were blocked," Khan alleged, according to a statement posted on his X account a day ago.
The government, and the jail authorities, for their part, have rejected the allegations, claiming that the ex-premier is being provided “all facilities” as per the jail manual.
“They want to break me through this torture and hardship, but I will stand firm for the genuine freedom of the Pakistani nation,” said Khan, who has been in jail for over a year.
The hearing
During the hearing, the court addressed a request from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur, who sought permission to visit Imran Khan in jail.
Adiala Jail’s Deputy Superintendent assured Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir that no restrictions were in place on such meetings. Justice Tahir remarked that procedural requests for meetings should not escalate to the courts, underscoring the need for jail administration to facilitate visitations according to policy.
The court also heard a separate petition regarding Khan’s jail conditions. During the hearing, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons and the jail’s Deputy Superintendent affirmed that Imran Khan was being provided all facilities mandated by jail regulations, including resumed family and legal access.
However, former premier’s attorney, Shoaib Shaheen, expressed concerns over continued restrictions on his client's access to newspapers and communications with his sons.
Justice Tahir directed jail officials to promptly address the issues, emphasizing that all permissible facilities be made available without delay. The judge cautioned Adiala Jail’s administration to avoid potential complications by strictly adhering to court orders.
Imran’s legal troubles
Imran Khan is facing dozens of cases, including charges of violating anti-terrorism laws, brought since he was removed as premier in 2022 and launched a protest movement against a coalition of his rivals led by current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He denies all the charges, saying they are trumped up by the government to discredit the 72-year-old former cricket star, who remains widely popular and whose candidates won the most seats in February's general election.
The Shehbaz-led government says it does not interfere in the judicial process. Imran Khan's standoff with the country's military, who he says backs Shehbaz, has spawned the worst political turmoil in decades in the nation of 241 million people.
Comments
See what people are discussing