By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Aleema Khan has approached the Islamabad High Court, contesting what she describes as the unlawful and prolonged solitary confinement of Imran Khan at Adiala Jail.
In a writ petition filed through legal counsel, she argued that the former premier has been held in isolation for nearly 22 hours a day over the past six months without any court order authorising such treatment.
Imran Khan, who has been in custody since August 2023, is currently serving a 14-year sentence in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, also linked to the Toshakhana matter.
The petition names multiple officials — including prison authorities, the National Accountability Bureau, and the Federal Investigation Agency — as respondents, accusing them of violating prison laws and constitutional protections.
It maintains that under Pakistani law, solitary confinement can only be imposed by a court and for a limited duration, making the current situation unlawful and amounting to inhuman treatment.
Serious health concerns were also raised, with the petition claiming that Imran Khan has suffered significant vision loss in one eye and has not received adequate medical care despite multiple hospital visits to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
Additionally, it alleges that neither family members nor lawyers have been properly informed about his medical condition, while access for legal consultations has been restricted.
The petition further claims that his wife, Bushra Bibi, is also being held in similar isolation conditions, and that basic facilities such as reading material and communication access have been denied.
Citing constitutional protections under Articles 9 and 14, the plea argues that prolonged solitary confinement amounts to torture and violates human dignity, also referencing international standards such as the UN Nelson Mandela Rules.
The court has been requested to declare the confinement illegal and order an end to what the petitioner calls incommunicado detention.
