Daily Times

A day after the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order, authorities on Tuesday shifted incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail from Attock prison following high drama.

The PTI chief was shifted to Adiala jail amid tight security. An 18-vehicle convoy – including 15 vehicles of Islamabad police – two armoured vehicles and an ambulance escorted Khan from Attock to Adiala prison via motorway. A day earlier, IHC CJ Aamer Farooq expressed his annoyance over keeping an ‘under-trial prisoner’ in Attock jail instead of Adiala jail and directed the concerned authorities to move Khan – who is currently serving a three-year sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case. – to the Adiala jail.

Confusion arose as officials of Adiala jail denied reports of the former prime minister’s shifting to the prison after his lawyers made such claims. Hours after the IHC directed the authorities concerned to move Khan to Adiala prison from the Attock jail, where he had been incarcerated for over a month, the members of his legal team said that the orders had been complied with. Naeem Panjhota, who is the spokesperson of Khan on legal affairs, claimed that the ousted premier – who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote in April last year – had been shifted to the prison in Adiala.

However, the Adiala jail administration refuted the claim, saying that Khan had not yet been shifted there.

Later, taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – Panjhuta said that he had been informed that Imran Khan had been shifted to Adiala jail but “it is beyond understanding that Attock jail [authorities] are also saying that they have PTI chairman.” Media reports said the PTI chief has been provided with a high-security B-Class barrack in Adiala jail, where former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was also kept.

Khan would be provided with the facilities as per the directions of the court, the reports said, adding that there would be an attached bathroom with his room in the prison.

A prison service facility will be provided to the PTI chief around the clock. His menu, however, is yet to be decided.

A day after pleading with the court to shift Imran Khan to Adiala jail so that he could be provided better facilities, his lawyer said that the PTI chairman has “adjusted” himself in the Attock prison. During an interaction with journalists, Barrister Umair Niazi – Khan’s counsel said that his client has “adjusted” himself in the Attock jail. “Jail is after all jail. I am fine in Attock jail,” Niazi said, quoting the incarcerated PTI chairman.

On Monday, Khan’s lawyer Advocate Sher Afzal Marwat requested the IHC that his client be given the facility of an exercise machine. “Imran Khan is entitled to the better class,” said Barrister Salman Safdar, lawyer of the deposed prime minister. At this, the IHC CJ remarked, “It is confirmed that the PTI chairman is entitled to the better class, as he is the former prime minister and an educated person.” Justice Farooq also maintained that Khan should receive the facilities he is entitled to and that his rights should not be violated.