Pakistan top court finds no ‘perverse aspects’ in Imran Khan’s jail conditions

Pakistan’s Supreme Court said it found no “perverse aspects” in the jail conditions or basic medical care of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, after reviewing reports submitted by prison authorities and a court-appointed observer.

In a seven-page written order dated Feb. 12, released on Monday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan said the overall picture emerging from the reports was “positive and consistent,” adding that earlier directives on Khan’s living conditions had been implemented and that related petitions before the court had become “infructuous”.

The court said it had examined reports filed by Barrister Salman Safdar, appointed as “Friend of the Court” (amicus curiae), and the superintendent of Central Prison, Rawalpindi, concluding that issues concerning Khan’s jail conditions no longer required adjudication.

The reports confirmed that Khan had generally expressed satisfaction with his safety, security, living conditions, and food arrangements, and that his basic needs remained reasonable and limited within the constraints of incarceration.

“Having carefully perused both reports in detail, it is observed that their general contents and the overall picture emerging therefrom are largely consistent. It appears that the petitioner’s living conditions in jail do not presently exhibit any perverse aspects,” the court wrote.

The reports assessed Khan’s daily routine, food provisions, condition of the confinement cell, provision of regular basic medical examinations, and safety and security within the jail premises, and the court found them, in material respects, positive and consistent.

The Supreme Court said the petitions had effectively lost relevance following the trial court’s final judgment on Aug. 5, 2023, and that the petitioner’s substantive grievances would now be considered by the High Court in appeal.

In line with earlier directions issued by a three-member bench, the court adjourned the petitions sine die and ordered that they be re-fixed after the high court announces its decision. It also ruled that Khan’s petition linked to the Toshakhana case would remain pending until the high court delivers its verdict.

The order said the attorney general had submitted a compliance report as directed, while the Friend of the Court independently verified conditions inside the jail. Both reports were placed before the court and were of considerable assistance in assessing the petitioner’s current conditions.

However, the Friend of the Court raised concern over a deterioration in Khan’s eyesight. The attorney general assured the court that a team of ophthalmologists would conduct a medical examination before Feb. 16.

Court allows Khan to contact sons

The court also directed that Khan be allowed to communicate with his sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, residing in the United Kingdom, in accordance with the law and subject to security safeguards.

The case was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, which took up three criminal petitions filed by Khan against interim and procedural orders issued during a trial initiated by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Khan, a former international cricket star who served as prime minister from 2018 until his ouster in a no-confidence vote in April 2022, has been held at Adiala Jail since August 2023 in connection with multiple cases. He and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, deny wrongdoing and say the prosecutions are politically motivated.

His arrest in May 2023 triggered nationwide protests, including demonstrations targeting military installations, followed by a sweeping crackdown on his party. Despite that, PTI emerged as the single largest party in Pakistan’s 2024 general election but alleges widespread rigging prevented it from securing a majority, allegations rejected by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his coalition partners.