A special court in Islamabad has directed Adiala Jail authorities to allow former Prime Minister Imran Khan to talk to his sons and receive a medical check-up by his personal physician. The court emphasized that these rights must be granted immediately and in full accordance with earlier orders.
Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand had previously approved Imran Khan’s petitions requesting phone access to his sons and a check-up by his chosen doctor. However, jail authorities recently challenged the decision, claiming that providing these facilities violated the Pakistan Prison Rules and the Constitution.
Despite their objections, the court rejected the jail administration’s plea and ruled that earlier decisions made on January 10, January 28, and February 3 were fair and based on proper legal grounds. The judge ordered the superintendent to strictly follow the instructions “in letter and spirit” and dismissed the objections as lacking a solid legal basis.
Imran Khan’s sons, Suleman (28) and Qasim (26), had recently raised concerns about their limited contact with their father. They revealed that they are allowed to speak with him only once every two or three months and that scheduled calls are often brief and arranged at inconvenient times. Missing a call, they added, means waiting weeks for another chance.
Imran Khan has been behind bars since August 2023, serving a sentence in the £190 million corruption case. He is also facing multiple other legal proceedings, including charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act connected to the May 9 protests last year.
The court adjourned the hearing until next Wednesday and reiterated that the prison must uphold basic rights of inmates, especially when orders have already been passed by the judiciary.