Islamabad, Pakistan – Web Desk: Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has approached the Islamabad High Court challenging the alleged solitary confinement of her brother and his wife Bushra Bibi in Adiala Jail .
The petition, filed through Barrister Salman Safdar, names the jail superintendent, Inspector General of Prisons, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman, Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Medical Superintendent of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) as respondents .
Allegations of Inhuman Treatment
According to the petition, a lawyer’s meeting with the PTI founder on April 8 revealed that he is being kept in solitary confinement for 22 hours daily, while his wife Bushra Bibi is held in isolation for 24 hours . The petition further claims that no family member or party representative has been permitted to meet the former prime minister for the past six months .
Health Concerns
The petition states that during the legal meeting, Imran Khan informed his lawyer that his eyesight has been affected by 85 per cent . Medical experts have diagnosed him with retinal vein occlusion, a condition affecting his right eye . He was taken to PIMS hospital on four occasions for treatment, but his family and legal team were not informed about the nature of his illness or treatment .
Legal Arguments
The petition argues that solitary confinement constitutes one of the harshest forms of punishment and is not part of any judicial sentence against the PTI founder . It invokes Articles 9 and 14 of the Constitution, arguing that prolonged isolation violates fundamental rights to dignity and personal liberty, and also cites the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules, which prohibit indefinite solitary confinement as inconsistent with human dignity .
The petition requests the court to declare the solitary confinement of Imran Khan illegal and unlawful .
