Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf seeks A-class facilities for Imran Khan in jail

Imran Khan’s party petitioned the Islamabad High Court to shift the jailed former Prime Minister from the Attock jail in the Punjab province to Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala prison

Islamabad: Imran Khan’s party on Monday petitioned the Islamabad High Court to shift the jailed former Prime Minister from the Attock jail in the Punjab province to Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala prison, keeping in view his affluent family background, social and political status.

In a petition, the lawyer of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) requested the court to transfer the deposed premier where A-class facilities are available, adding that his family, lawyers and physician Dr Faisal Sultan should be allowed to meet him. He maintained that meeting his lawyers, legal team and family was the fundamental right of the party chairman.

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Khan, 70, was arrested from his home in Lahore on Saturday, shortly after an Islamabad trial court found him guilty of “corrupt practices” in the Toshakhana corruption case and sentenced him to three years in jail. After his arrest, he was shifted to Attock jail in Attock city in Punjab province though the court order directed authorities to lodge him at Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala prison.

In a separate development, it was reported that Khan was shifted to cell no. 2 in Attock jail, which has high security and “better facilities”, Geo News reported. The size of the cell is bigger than the previous one and has a table, chair, mattress, and bed.

“Since childhood, the petitioner is from an affluent family, and later due to his education, habits, and social and political status in the society, has got accustomed to a better mode of life… is a graduate of Oxford University, UK and the … captain of Pakistan national cricket team…,” the petition read. “Keeping in view the petitioner’s social and political status, his education, and his being accustomed to a better living style, the Petitioner was entitled to A-Class facilities in terms of Rule 243 read with Rule 248 of Pakistan Prison Rules.”

A team of doctors has been appointed for the PTI chairman and will check up on him in two shifts, Geo News reported. After his arrest, “Charges of misdeclaration of assets have been proven against PTI chairman,” Judge Humayun Dilawar wrote in his judgment, handing Khan three years in jail, along with a fine of Rs 1,00,000, while issuing an arrest warrant for his immediate arrest.

The petition on Monday added that Khan was being kept in a “small cell of 9 x 11 feet”. It further appealed that the PTI’s chair’s legal team, personal physician and family members be allowed to meet him. “Moreover, Dr Faisal Sultan is the physician of the petitioner for 25 years and is aware of the entire medical history of the petitioner.”