IHC Orders Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi Not to Be Kept in Solitary Confinement
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday declared petitions concerning the alleged solitary confinement of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi maintainable, while issuing a series of directions to Adiala Jail authorities concerning their treatment, family contact, medical care and access to reading material.
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro announced the reserved judgment on petitions challenging the former first couple’s alleged isolation in prison.
The court held that the petitions were maintainable in light of legal precedents including the Nusrat Bhutto and Begum Shamim Afridi cases, according to the judgment reported by Express Urdu.
The court then disposed of the petitions with specific directions to the Adiala Jail superintendent.
Court Orders Against Solitary Confinement
Among the most significant directions, the High Court ordered the jail superintendent to ensure that Bushra Bibi is not kept in solitary confinement. Geo News independently reported that the court directed prison authorities not to keep either Imran or Bushra in solitary confinement.
The ruling follows months of disagreement between the petitioners and prison authorities over the conditions in which the couple have been held.
Imran’s sister Aleema Khan filed the petition concerning the former prime minister, while Bushra’s daughter Mubashra Khawar Maneka approached the court on her mother’s behalf.
Adiala Jail authorities had denied that either prisoner was being held in solitary confinement.
In earlier proceedings, the Islamabad advocate general argued that Imran was being kept separately from other inmates because of security considerations associated with his political profile and maintained that such an arrangement should not be characterised as solitary confinement.
That distinction was central to the litigation.
Newspapers and Books for Imran Khan
The High Court directed prison authorities to provide Imran with newspapers and books on a daily basis.
The court also ordered that he receive medical facilities in accordance with applicable prison rules.
The directions add to continuing litigation over Imran’s medical treatment and prison conditions, which have become a major point of dispute between PTI and the federal government.
PTI has repeatedly alleged that the former prime minister has faced prolonged isolation and restrictions on meetings with his family and legal team. The government and jail authorities dispute that account.
The Information Ministry recently rejected allegations of punitive solitary confinement, saying Imran’s imprisonment is governed by Pakistan Prison Rules, judicial directions and security arrangements appropriate for a high-profile prisoner.
Court Orders Family Meetings
The High Court also directed the jail administration to arrange Imran’s meetings with his family in accordance with prison rules.
Family access has been one of the most contentious issues surrounding his incarceration.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said this week that a March 2025 High Court judgment required family meetings at least twice a week but alleged that the direction had not been implemented consistently. He also alleged restrictions on meetings between Imran and his lawyers and sisters.
Those remain PTI’s claims and should not be presented as established findings beyond what the courts have specifically determined.
The government, by contrast, says visits, phone calls, reading materials and other facilities have been made available to the former prime minister.
Imran Allowed Phone Calls With Sons
The September 1 judgment specifically directed that Imran be allowed telephone conversations with his sons.
The court, however, attached an unusual condition to that facility.
According to the judgment as reported by Express Urdu, if recordings of the conversations with his sons are used for political purposes, the telephone facility may be withdrawn.
This should not be interpreted as an unrestricted right to political communications from prison; the order expressly links the facility to the conditions set by the court and applicable prison rules.
Bushra Bibi Allowed to Meet Imran
The court further directed jail authorities to facilitate a meeting between Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan.
Both are incarcerated at Adiala Jail following convictions in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, though their legal challenges to convictions and other aspects of their imprisonment continue through the courts.
The solitary-confinement petitions were separate from appeals concerning their convictions and sentences.
That distinction is important: Tuesday’s ruling concerns conditions of incarceration and does not overturn, suspend or otherwise decide the validity of their underlying convictions.
Jail Superintendent Given 15 Days
Justice Soomro directed the Adiala Jail superintendent to submit a compliance report within 15 days, detailing implementation of the High Court’s directions.
This gives the ruling an immediate follow-up mechanism rather than leaving the directions without a reporting requirement.
The superintendent will therefore be expected to demonstrate compliance with the court’s instructions concerning prison conditions and permitted contact.
Jail Authorities Had Denied Solitary Confinement
During earlier proceedings, prison authorities strongly rejected the petitioners’ central allegation.
The Islamabad advocate general told the High Court that neither Imran nor Bushra had been sentenced to solitary confinement by a court or placed under such punishment by another competent authority.
He maintained that Imran had instead received facilities exceeding those ordinarily available to B-class prisoners.
The government argued that his separate accommodation resulted from security considerations and did not legally amount to solitary confinement.
The petitioners challenged that account.
Earlier, Justice Soomro had observed that the judgments in the £190 million and Toshakhana-I cases did not impose solitary confinement as part of the sentences.
Court Had Sought Detailed Jail Record
The High Court had previously ordered Adiala Jail authorities to provide detailed information regarding the couple’s prison conditions.
In July, the court said allegations of unlawful treatment were sufficiently serious to require judicial scrutiny and directed the jail superintendent to explain the legal basis if either prisoner was being held in solitary confinement.
The court also sought information about the facilities being provided to Imran.
After receiving the prison authorities’ response and hearing detailed arguments from both sides, Justice Soomro reserved the ruling on August 6.
That reserved judgment was announced on September 1.
What the Ruling Does — and Does Not — Establish
The decision carries several immediate consequences for prison administration, but its scope needs to be reported carefully.
The High Court has declared the petitions maintainable and ordered safeguards concerning confinement and prison rights. It has directed compliance with prison rules for medical treatment and family meetings, ordered access to newspapers and books, permitted telephone conversations with Imran’s sons under stated conditions, facilitated a meeting between Imran and Bushra, and required a compliance report within 15 days.
However, the ruling should not be described as acquitting Imran or Bushra, suspending their sentences, ordering their release or overturning their convictions.
Those matters are part of separate legal proceedings.
It would also be inaccurate to report every disputed claim about their previous prison conditions as an established judicial finding. Jail authorities have consistently denied imposing solitary confinement, while the petitioners and PTI have alleged prolonged isolation and restrictions.
The immediate test now is implementation.
The Adiala Jail superintendent has 15 days to report back to the Islamabad High Court, making compliance with Tuesday’s directions the next major development in the case.
