The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has set a hearing date for the petition filed by Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, regarding the safety and protection of her husband in Adiala Jail. The court has overruled objections and scheduled the hearing for Thursday.
Safety Concerns in Adiala Jail
Bushra Bibi’s lawyer, Latif Khosa Advocate, argued that Imran Khan’s life was at risk in the jail. The court accepted the request for the hearing and fixed it for October 5.
Bushra expressed concerns that Imran might be exposed to poisoned food in jail and that he was not allowed to have home-cooked meals, a facility provided to under-trial prisoners in the past.
Violation of Rights
Bushra contended that Imran was being denied the entitled facilities under the Jail Manual and that the treatment he was receiving in jail was inhumane and violated constitutional articles 9 and 14.
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Imran Khan’s Transfer to Adiala Jail
Imran Khan was transferred to Adiala Jail on September 26 on the order of the IHC. Security measures around the jail have been intensified with the deployment of elite commandos and additional security pickets.
Allegations of Slow Poisoning
Imran’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjutha, expressed concerns about his client’s safety, fearing that he could be slowly poisoned. He stated that Imran was facing mental torture and restrictions on his movement.
Imran had recently been moved to a lower-class cell, with security personnel stationed outside and the confiscation of mobile phones, all of which raised concerns about his well-being.
Ongoing Legal Battles
Imran Khan was initially held in Attock District Jail after his conviction in the Toshakhana case. The IHC suspended his sentencing but he was subsequently arrested in the cipher case, with the trial continuing in Attock jail. Now, the case will be heard by a special court inside Adiala Jail, with the possibility of an in-camera hearing.
Challenging Bail Application Rejections
Separately, Imran Khan has challenged the accountability court’s decision to reject his bail applications in corruption and Toshakhana cases.
He argued that his absence from the court on August 10, the day his bail applications were rejected, was due to his imprisonment. He requested the court to overturn these decisions and grant him interim bail until the applications were reviewed.
The Registrar’s Office raised objections to the applications but scheduled both petitions for a hearing with a division bench led by Chief Justice Farooq and Justice Babar Sattar.