Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the Deputy Superintendent of Adiala Jail to ensure that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former premier Imran Khan is granted all the rights and facilities specified in the jail manual.
The court issued the directive during a hearing following a request from Imran Khan’s sister Noreen Niazi, who sought improved conditions for the PTI founder while he is incarcerated.
The Deputy Superintendent informed the court that Khan was receiving all necessary amenities in line with jail regulations.
DIG of Prisons Abdul Rauf also attended the hearing, stating that meetings with Khan had already begun. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir inquired about the absence of Khan's lawyer, Shoaib Shaheen, prompting a brief adjournment until he could arrive.
Justice Tahir further instructed that Khan should have access to newspapers.
Shoaib Shaheen stated that the court should request an affidavit to guarantee that Khan's meetings would proceed without restrictions.
At this Justice Arbab Tahir noted that, according to jail officials, meetings were restricted due to security concerns.
Shaheen noted that, following a previous order from Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq—allowing Khan to be brought to the High Court if security issues arose—there had been efforts to facilitate meetings in the jail, but Khan had still not received newspapers.
When questioned about the availability of newspapers, the Deputy Superintendent confirmed that they are indeed part of the jail provisions. Justice Tahir cautioned against complicating the situation unnecessarily.
Additionally, Shaheen raised concerns that Khan was not allowed to make phone calls to his sons.
The Deputy Superintendent explained that the jail manual does not permit WhatsApp calls.
In response, Justice Tahir instructed the officials to ensure that communication with Khan’s family is facilitated, emphasizing that Khan had previously been allowed to speak with his sons over the phone.
