The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday directed the Adiala jail superintendent to submit a detailed report and prison records concerning the alleged solitary confinement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. This order was issued by Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro while hearing petitions filed by Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, and Bushra Bibi’s daughter, Mubashra Khawar Maneka.
During the previous hearing on Tuesday, the judge had noted that convictions in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases do not include solitary confinement as a form of punishment. He emphasized that the court reviewed the relevant judgments and found no mention of such a sentence.
At the start of Saturday’s proceedings, Justice Soomro instructed the jail superintendent to clarify whether Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi had been subjected to solitary confinement. If so, the superintendent was to specify the legal provisions, circumstances, and duration under which this confinement was imposed.
It is important to highlight that Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023, facing multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism following his removal from office through a no-confidence motion in April 2022.
The judge stated that the maintainability of the petitions would be determined after the jail authorities submit their report. Additionally, a report on the facilities provided to the former prime minister and his wife while in custody was also requested.
Justice Soomro further ordered that the inspector general of prisons and the jail superintendent ensure that their designated representatives appear before the court at the next hearing. These officials must be thoroughly informed about the facts and circumstances of the case. The hearing was adjourned until August 6.
In the previous hearing, Barrister Salman Safdar, representing the petitioners, claimed that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi had been confined in solitary for several months, violating prison regulations. He stated he was permitted to meet Khan after a court order but had been denied access to Bushra for seven months. Safdar alleged that Khan was isolated approximately 22 hours daily, while Bushra was kept in continuous isolation.
On the other hand, NAB prosecutor Rafi Maqsood contested the petitions, arguing that Aleema Khan and Mubashra Khawar Maneka were not directly affected parties and thus lacked legal standing. He denied the use of solitary confinement, asserting that the couple’s custody adhered to prison rules applicable to convicted prisoners. Maqsood also emphasized that the petitioners had not first sought remedies through prison authorities before approaching the court for constitutional relief.
The federal government, NAB, and the Islamabad advocate general requested dismissal of the petitions on grounds of non-maintainability. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved judgment on this issue.
