Imran Khan
RAWALPINDI: Ahead of Eid ul Fitr, the personal belongings of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan have been delivered to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated since August 2023 in multiple cases.
Sources confirm that the items sent for the former prime minister include four new outfits specifically for Eid, a pair of shoes, and a waistcoat. These items will be handed over to the prison authorities, who will then deliver them to Khan within the jail premises.
The development comes just a day after the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court directed jail authorities to provide Khan with books and allow him to communicate with his children.
The court issued these directives in response to petitions filed by the PTI founder, stressing that he should be granted the opportunity to speak with his children before Eid. The judge emphasized that Eid is a religious occasion, and it is imperative that the petitioner be allowed to talk to his family without unnecessary delays.
However, despite the court’s clear instructions, prison authorities reportedly refused to accept the court’s orders immediately. According to Khan’s lawyer, Faisal Malik, the jail staff initially took photographs of the orders to send to the superintendent.
Later, they requested the physical file but ultimately returned it without processing it. Malik stated that prison officials insisted that the court orders must be sent through official mail instead of being hand-delivered.
In another significant legal development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reinstated Khan’s visitation rights, allowing people to meet him twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This decision was made by a three-member bench led by IHC Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, along with Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan. The court merged multiple petitions related to Khan’s visitation rights, including a plea filed by Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum.
Previously, Superintendent Anjum had exercised his discretionary authority to restrict Khan’s visits to only Tuesdays. However, following the IHC’s decision, individuals approved by Khan’s coordinator, Salman Akram Raja, will now be permitted to visit him on both designated days.
These legal developments mark another chapter in Khan’s ongoing legal battles and his time in detention. While the PTI founder remains behind bars, efforts continue to ensure that he receives his basic rights, including communication with his family and access to reading materials.
With the upcoming Eid festivities, the delivery of his belongings serves as a small but significant gesture, allowing him to observe the occasion despite his incarceration.
