IHC reserves order in PTI Founder, Bushra Bibi solitary confinement case

ISLAMABAD, Aug 06 (APP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its order on petitions seeking to declare the alleged solitary confinement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi illegal after hearing detailed arguments from both sides.

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro directed the parties to submit any additional case law in writing, saying the court would issue its order after reviewing the record.

During the hearing, Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig, Advocate General Islamabad, Naveed Hayat Malik and counsel for the petitioners, Barrister Salman Safdar, appeared before the court.

The Advocate General argued that the allegations of solitary confinement were baseless, stating that reports submitted by the jail authorities confirmed that neither Imran Khan nor Bushra Bibi was being held in solitary confinement. He maintained that both prisoners were being provided facilities exceeding those available to B-Class prisoners, including books, newspapers, medical care and enhanced security arrangements due to the PTI founder’s political profile.

The jail superintendent informed the court that Imran Khan had access to a seven-cell compound during the day, was provided with newspapers and more than 500 books, and could move freely within the designated area until lock-up hours at night. He added that a convicted inmate had been assigned to assist him and that Bushra Bibi also enjoyed separate accommodation with security arrangements in accordance with prison rules.

Barrister Salman Safdar, however, contended that despite the facilities mentioned in the report, his clients were effectively being kept in isolation. He submitted that restrictions on meetings with family members, lawyers and others amounted to mental torture and challenged the credibility of the jail authorities’ report.

He requested the court to order regular meetings of the PTI founder with his lawyers and family members, weekly telephone contact with his sons, and appropriate medical examination of both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. He also proposed the formation of a panel of lawyers to inspect the prison conditions.

During the proceedings, Justice Soomro observed that the facilities prescribed under the jail manual should be provided to prisoners and remarked that if the parties wished to rely on judicial precedents, they should submit them in writing.

After completion of arguments, the court reserved its order on the petitions seeking to declare the alleged solitary confinement of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi illegal.