Court orders to let Imran Khan talk to sons, see doctor

ISLAMABAD: A special court in Islamabad has directed Adiala Jail authorities to allow former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to speak with his sons over the phone and undergo a medical check-up by his personal physician.

The directive came as the court dismissed a petition by jail officials seeking to overturn earlier orders permitting these two facilities.

Imran Khan has been incarcerated at Adiala Jail since August 2023 after being convicted in the £190 million corruption case. He is also facing several other charges, including those related to the May 9 riots under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Last month, Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand had approved two petitions filed by Imran Khan, ordering jail authorities to facilitate phone conversations with his sons and allow his private doctor to examine him.

In response, jail officials had submitted a report on May 12 urging the court to reconsider and revoke the orders, arguing that they violated prisoners’ fundamental rights to equality and dignity.

They contended that granting such privileges to [a prisoner, Imran Khan] would contravene both the Constitution and the Pakistan Prisons Rules.

However, the court stated in its written order that the earlier decisions — issued on January 10, January 28, and February 3 — had been made after considering all relevant factors and could not be reversed without strong justification.

It, therefore, dismissed the jail superintendent’s petition and ordered the jail authorities to fully implement the previous rulings.

The case has now been adjourned until next Wednesday.

The court ruling comes a day after Imran Khan’s sons — 28-year-old Sulaiman Khan and 26-year-old Qasim Khan — raised concern over their father’s imprisonment.

In a rare interview with entrepreneur and citizen journalist Mario Nawfal, they appealed for his release, claiming that phone calls with their father were arranged at odd hours, were extremely brief, and that missing a call could mean waiting months for another opportunity.

They also appealed to US President Donald Trump and other global leaders to help secure their father’s release from prison, calling for international pressure on Pakistan.