IHC tells Adiala jail authorities to ensure Imran, Bushra Bibi are not kept in solitary confinement

IHC tells Adiala jail authorities to ensure Imran, Bushra Bibi are not kept in solitary confinement.

Key points

• Malik Asad Published September 1, 2026 Updated September 1, 2026 11: 58am.
• Last week, after an interview with Imran's sons was broadcast during a Test match between Pakistan and England, the Ministry of Information issued a detailed statement.
• During earlier proceedings, the administration and Adiala jail authorities had denied that either Imran or Bushra Bibi was being kept in solitary confinement.
• Malik Asad is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn with two decades of experience covering legal affairs, judicial developments, and the civil bureaucracy.
• The court additionally directed jail authorities to facilitate a gathering between Imran and Bushra in accordance with prison rules.

Malik Asad Published September 1, 2026 Updated September 1, 2026 11: 58am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday declared petitions challenging the alleged solitary confinement of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi maintainable and additionally directed Adiala jail authorities to ensure that neither was kept in solitary confinement.

IHC's Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro confirmed the verdict. It had been reserved on Aug 6, and held that the petitions were maintainable in light of the principles laid down in the Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Begum Shamim Afridi cases.

Notably, the court additionally directed jail authorities to facilitate a gathering between Imran and Bushra in accordance with prison rules.

It further ordered that Imran's family members be allowed to meet him as permitted under the jail rules and directed authorities to create arrangements for phone calls between him and his sons.

Meanwhile, the court directed that phone calls withdrawn if the recordings of these conversations were being applied for political purposes.

Notably, the court additionally directed jail authorities to provide Imran with newspapers and books daily and ensure that he receives medical facilities in accordance with the applicable prison rules.

Meanwhile, the superintendent of Adiala jail was specifically directed to ensure that Bushra Bibi was not kept in solitary confinement and to submit an implementation report to the court within 15 days.

Notably, the IHC directed the superintendent of Adiala jail to ensure strict compliance with the court's directions and disposed of the applications accordingly.

Meanwhile, the petitions had been filed by Imran's sister, Aleema Khan, and Bushra Bibi's daughter, Mubashra Khawar Maneka, challenging the alleged prolonged isolation of the former prime minister and his wife.

During earlier proceedings, the administration and Adiala jail authorities had denied that either Imran or Bushra Bibi was being kept in solitary confinement. The advocate general maintained that Imran was housed separately due to security reservations linked to his political profile and was being provided facilities beyond those available to B-class prisoners.

Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig had informed the court that Imran was not confined to a single cell around the clock and had access to a compound comprising seven cells, where he could move around during the day.

According to The jail authorities had similarly, bushra Bibi was being housed separately due to security reservations and not as a form of solitary confinement.

Barrister Salman Safdar, representing the petitioners, had disputed the government's position, alleging that the restrictions imposed on his clients amounted to prolonged isolation and mental distress.

He had additionally complained of limited access to lawyers, family members and books, and sought regular meetings and weekly telephone calls between Imran Khan and his sons.

Last week, after an interview with Imran's sons was broadcast during a Test match between Pakistan and England, the Ministry of Information issued a detailed statement. It was published on social media and sent to the foreign press.

In the statement, the information ministry rejected allegations that Imran was being subjected to "punitive solitary confinement, cruelty or deprivation", stating that visits, phone calls, reading materials and home-cooked meals, among other amenities, were available to him.

It remarked Imran was "not a person held under executive detention" and that he had been incarcerated based on multiple convictions after judicial proceedings, noting that the PTI founder "remains entitled to pursue all remedies available to him under Pakistani law".

Nevertheless, the PTI had rejected the ministry's claims as "misleading, fabricated and incorrect".

Malik Asad is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn with two decades of experience covering legal affairs, judicial developments, and the civil bureaucracy. He can be discovered on X at @asadrp.

Taken together, the developments around IHC tells Adiala jail authorities to ensure Imran, Bushra Bibi are not point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.