A Pakistan court has barred authorities from keeping jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in solitary confinement and directed Adiala Jail officials to facilitate timely meetings with his family. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) also ordered the jail authorities to arrange a meeting between Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in accordance with prison rules.
According to an NDTV report, the 73-year-old cricketer-turned-politician and Bushra Bibi are currently lodged at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where they are serving prison sentences in corruption and related cases.
The ruling came after Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, approached the court over his alleged solitary confinement. Bushra Bibi’s daughter, Mubashara Khawar Maneka, also filed a petition concerning her mother.
Court orders family meetings, phone calls
Pronouncing the verdict, IHC Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro directed that Khan’s family members be allowed to meet him as permitted under jail rules.
The court also ordered the authorities to make arrangements for telephone conversations between Khan and his sons.
The Adiala Jail authorities were further directed to provide Khan with newspapers and books daily and ensure that he receives medical facilities in accordance with prison rules.
The jail superintendent has been asked to ensure that the directions are implemented and submit a compliance report within 15 days.
Imran Khan’s time in jail
Khan has been in prison since August 2023, following a series of convictions that he and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have described as politically motivated.
His family and supporters have repeatedly alleged that he has faced restrictions on access to relatives and adequate medical care. The government has rejected those allegations.
Bushra Bibi was first jailed on January 31, 2024, after being convicted in a corruption-related case. She was released on bail on October 24 that year after spending nearly nine months in prison.
She was arrested again on January 17, 2025, following her conviction in another corruption-related case and remains at Adiala Jail. She has since received additional sentences in corruption-related cases.
Dispute over Khan’s medical treatment
The latest court order comes amid a separate dispute over Khan’s health and medical treatment.
Last month, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered the government to shift Khan to the privately run Shifa International Hospital following months of concerns raised by his family and supporters about his health, including an eye condition diagnosed earlier this year.
However, on the night of August 20-21, Khan was taken to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a medical procedure and diagnostic examinations instead of being shifted to Shifa International Hospital. He was later taken back to Adiala Jail.
His family subsequently approached the court, arguing that the decision breached the Supreme Court’s order directing that Khan remain admitted at the Islamabad hospital until the next hearing on September 16.
The government defended the decision to take Khan to PIMS, citing security concerns.
The contempt petition is scheduled to be heard on September 16 by a three-member bench comprising Justices Shahid Waheed, Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Ishtiaq Ibrahim. The same bench is also due to hear pending matters concerning Khan’s health and meetings with his family.
