The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered prison authorities to end the “unnecessary isolation” of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, at Adiala Jail. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued the directive Wednesday, responding to a petition that challenged the restricted conditions under which the couple has been held.
The court’s order mandates that prison officials ensure the pair can meet with their legal team and family members in accordance with jail rules. The petition, filed by the PTI founder’s legal counsel, argued that the ongoing isolation was a violation of fundamental rights and prison regulations, leaving the inmates effectively cut off from the outside world.
For months, PTI leadership has claimed the former premier was being held in “solitary confinement,” a charge the government and jail administration have consistently denied. The administration previously maintained that security protocols necessitated the current arrangements, citing the high-profile nature of the prisoners.
Justice Tahir’s bench, however, made it clear that security concerns cannot supersede the basic legal rights of detainees. The court directed the jail superintendent to facilitate meetings without the “unnecessary” hurdles that have plagued the legal team’s access for weeks.
The legal team for the PTI founder welcomed the decision, viewing it as a move toward transparency. “We have been fighting for months just to get a briefing on the cases,” one of his lawyers said outside the court. “This order forces the jail administration to follow the law, not their own arbitrary rules.”
The government has yet to issue a formal response to the court’s latest directive. With the legal battle over the couple’s incarceration conditions intensifying, the IHC’s ruling sets a clear boundary for prison authorities: security measures must not become a tool for prolonged, unauthorized isolation.
