By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The government assured the Supreme Court on Monday that jailed former prime minister Imran Khan had been permitted to speak to his children and that a medical examination of the politician had been conducted by an expert team.
The assurances were contained in a fresh application filed by the government in response to directives issued by the court last week. A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi had ordered the formation of a medical team to examine Khan after a submission by his lawyer, Salman Safdar, reported that the former prime minister had lost 85% of the vision in his right eye. The court had also directed authorities to facilitate telephone calls between Khan and his children.
The government filed the application through Deputy Attorney General Raja Muhammad Shafqat Abbasi. It attached a report prepared by the superintendent of Adiala jail, where Khan is held, to document compliance with earlier Supreme Court instructions. The report referenced a Supreme Court order issued on Aug. 24, 2023, under Article 184 of the Constitution, in which a three-judge bench led by then-Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had asked the attorney general to provide details on Khan’s living conditions while he was detained at Attock jail. The jail superintendent’s report noted that the 2023 order was not directly linked to the current proceedings, which stemmed from criminal cases against Khan, but that the government had not objected to the court’s Feb. 12 directives “in deference to the Supreme Court”.
The report detailed the facilities provided to Khan at Adiala jail, describing them as aligned with “better class” provisions under the jail manual. It said his confinement area was safe and secure, with regular checks by the superintendent and other prison officers. Khan was housed in a compound comprising seven cells, with a corridor for walking and exercise, and an adjacent lawn where he could read books and newspapers.
Food arrangements included meals prepared to Khan’s preference by a dedicated labourer in a kitchen adjacent to the compound. Raw materials were procured through a secure process. His diet consisted of dates, honey, walnuts, coffee, porridge, lassi, milk, chia seeds, orange juice, chicken, mutton, lentils, salad, mixed pickle, dry fruits and green tea.
The report said Khan had access to exercise equipment, including a cycling machine, stretching bands and a chin-up rod, provided under orders from a special court on Oct. 23, 2023. Healthcare facilities included thrice-daily visits by jail medical officers who monitored his vitals and maintained records. Consultants from public tertiary care hospitals had also examined him, with records kept by the jail administration. Additional provisions included clean filtered drinking water, adequate sanitation and toiletries, seasonal clothing, bedding, a hygiene kit and other daily essentials.
Khan had unrestricted access to natural light, fresh air and exercise from dawn to dusk, the report said, and could move freely within the compound from early morning until night. It noted that the compound could accommodate 30-35 inmates, reflecting rising population trends at Central Jail Rawalpindi.
In a separate development, senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Latif Khosa wrote to Chief Justice Afridi on Monday, expressing concerns over the medical examination of Khan conducted at Adiala jail on Feb. 15. Khosa, identifying himself as counsel for Khan in the Toshakhana case, said the examination had been carried out “in secrecy” without notice to the family or independent doctors. “The continued exclusion of the petitioner’s family and personal medical practitioners from information concerning his health has created unavoidable doubts,” the letter stated.
It highlighted that such secrecy was causing “unrest and distress among his family members, friends and supporters”. Khosa noted that Khan, aged 73, had advancing age and declining health that were of “grave concern not only for his family but for the people of Pakistan at large”. As a widely supported political leader, public interest in his wellbeing was natural, he said, yet he remained deprived of basic human necessities at a time when his condition required care and transparency.
The letter referenced reports over recent months about the deterioration of Khan’s eyesight and overall health, compounded by the denial of access to family members for four to five months. It recalled that the Supreme Court had appointed Barrister Salman Safdar as a friend of the court on Feb. 10 to visit Khan and submit a report on his conditions. Safdar’s report, submitted on Feb. 11, confirmed that Khan had only about 15% vision left in his right eye, Khosa said. It also recorded Khan’s repeated complaints of blurred vision that had gone unaddressed, leading to the loss, according to the lawyer.
Khosa described the Feb. 15 examination as “shocking” because it occurred without family members, personal doctors or legal representatives present, and without prior intimation. He dismissed claims that the family had been informed but chose not to attend, saying Khan’s sisters had been denied access when they approached authorities. Instead, a panel of “handpicked doctors” was used, he said.
The letter stated that Khan had repeatedly requested access to his personal doctors, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yousaf, for independent examination and treatment. Khan was arrested on Aug. 5, 2023, initially held at Attock jail and transferred to Adiala after about three months, it added. Khosa requested the chief justice to direct authorities to provide an attested copy of the medical report from the Feb. 15 examination. He also sought immediate access for Khan to his personal doctors, a transfer to Al-Shifa Hospital for treatment that could not be adequately provided in jail, and directives to inform and grant reasonable access to family members regarding his medical condition.
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