The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed the registrar office’s objections to petitions challenging the alleged solitary confinement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. The court ordered that the petitions be formally registered and scheduled for hearing on Tuesday.
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro presided over the hearing of petitions filed by Aleema Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, and Mubashra Maneka, Bushra Bibi’s daughter. During the proceedings, Barrister Salman Safdar, representing the couple, revealed that he had been denied permission to obtain Imran Khan’s and Bushra Bibi’s signatures on powers of attorney (vakalatnamas).
Quoting Imran Khan, Safdar stated that the former prime minister had informed him during a prison meeting that “no one even responds to my greeting.” He added that prison officials prohibited others from exchanging greetings with Imran Khan, highlighting the isolation imposed on him.
The registrar’s office had initially objected to the petitions on the basis that the applicants lacked standing. However, Safdar argued that Aleema Khan and Mubashra Maneka were legitimate representatives entitled to seek relief on behalf of their relatives. Justice Soomro instructed the registrar’s office to assign regular case numbers to the petitions, noting that the issue of their maintainability would be determined through judicial review.
The court directed that the cases be listed for further hearing on Tuesday to proceed with substantive consideration.
During the hearing, Safdar raised concerns about the denial of basic rights to Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, stating that both were confined in solitary conditions and their health was reportedly deteriorating. He noted that although they were taken out of prison for medical treatment, he had not been granted access to their medical records despite being their legal counsel.
Safdar also highlighted the difficulties faced by the defence in obtaining certified copies of court documents and filing legal petitions. He emphasized that Bushra Bibi, who is serving a seven-year sentence related to abetment charges, was similarly subjected to solitary confinement.
Furthermore, Safdar mentioned that the issue of their solitary confinement had previously been brought up during the appeal in the Al-Qadir Trust case. However, the chief justice had advised them to seek remedy through the appropriate forum, leading to the current petitions.
