IHC Seeks Report on Imran Khan Solitary Confinement Claims

Islamabad – (Web Desk) – Islamabad High Court has asked Adiala jail officials for a full report on the alleged Imran Khan solitary confinement, along with prison records for his wife, Bushra Bibi.

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro heard the case on Saturday. The petitions were filed by Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, and Bushra Bibi’s daughter, Mubashra Khawar Maneka.

At the last hearing, the judge had already made a key point. He said NAB convictions don’t carry solitary confinement as a punishment. Both judgments were checked, and no such sentence was found.

This time, the judge asked the jail superintendent for clear answers. Were the two really kept in solitary confinement? If so, under what rule, and for how long?

Khan has been behind bars since August 2023. He’s facing several cases, from corruption to terrorism charges, ever since he was removed from power in April 2022.

The court also asked for a report on the facilities given to the former prime minister and his wife inside jail. Officials were told to send representatives who know the full facts, not just paperwork.

The next hearing is set for August 6.

At the earlier hearing, lawyer Salman Safdar had argued that Khan and Bushra were kept isolated for months, breaking prison rules. He said he met Khan once, after a court order, but hasn’t been allowed to see Bushra in seven months.

He claimed Khan is locked up for about 22 hours daily, while Bushra stays isolated almost all day.

NAB’s lawyer, Rafi Maqsood, pushed back. He said the petitioners have no legal standing since they aren’t directly affected parties. He also denied any solitary confinement, saying the couple’s custody follows standard prison rules for convicts.

The federal government and NAB both asked the court to throw out the petitions. For now, the court has reserved its decision on whether the case can even proceed.