By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A United Nations expert warned on Wednesday that the wife of former prime minister, Imran Khan, was being held in detention conditions that could gravely endanger her physical and mental health, calling on the authorities to intervene immediately to safeguard her well-being.
The expert, Alice Jill Edwards, the UN special rapporteur on torture, described the circumstances surrounding Bushra Bibi’s imprisonment in Adiala Jail as falling far short of international standards, citing reports of a cramped, unventilated cell overrun with insects and rodents, frequent power outages that leave her in total darkness, and provisions of tainted water and food spiked with excessive chili powder.
“The State has an obligation to protect Mrs. Khan’s health and ensure conditions of detention compatible with human dignity,” Edwards said in a statement. Bushra Bibi, who has been detained since her arrest earlier this year, has suffered significant deterioration in her health as a result, according to the reports cited by the expert. She has lost about 15 kilograms, experienced repeated infections and fainting spells, and gone without treatment for a tooth abscess and a stomach ulcer, the latter stemming from allegations of contaminated food during a prior stint in custody.
“Such conditions fall far below minimum international standards,” Edwards said. “No detainee should be exposed to extreme heat, contaminated food or water, or conditions that aggravate existing medical conditions.”
The expert emphasised that Pakistan must tailor detention arrangements to the specific needs of inmates, taking into account factors like age, gender and medical history. Compounding the physical hardships, Bushra Bibi has reportedly been subjected to extended periods of near-total isolation, confined to her cell for more than 22 hours a day and sometimes cut off from the outside world for over 10 days at a stretch.
During these times, she has been denied access to exercise, reading materials, meetings with her lawyers, family visits or consultations with her own doctors. “The authorities must ensure Mrs. Khan has the possibility to communicate with her lawyers and receive visits from family members, and have meaningful human contact throughout her detention,” Edwards said. “Prolonged isolation of this kind heightens psychological distress and impedes access to essential safeguards,” the special rapporteur added. “Coupled with untreated medical needs, it poses an acute risk.”
Bushara bibi is married to Khan, 73, who led Pakistan as prime minister from 2018 until his ouster in 2022. He has been incarcerated since August 2023 on various charges, amid a broader crackdown on his political allies and supporters. Edwards said she had formally brought Bushra Bibi’s case to the attention of the Pakistani government and pledged to keep a close watch on any developments.
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