Islamabad HC orders transfer of Imran Khan to high-security Adiala prison

A top Pakistani court on Monday ordered authorities to shift former prime minister Imran Khan from the Attock jail in Punjab province to high-security Adiala prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, according to media reports.

In August, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to transfer the deposed party chief to Adiala prison where A-class facilities are available, keeping in view Khan's affluent family background, social and political status.

During the hearing, the IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq remarked, “Shift the PTI chairman to Adiala jail”.

A written ruling has yet to be issued in the case, the Dawn newspaper reported.

“IHC Chief Justice has ordered moving PTI chairman Imran Khan from Attock Prison to Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi,” Khan's party said.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq Farooq presided over the hearing, while Khan's lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat and Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Dogal appeared before the court.

Meanwhile, talking to the media outside the IHC, Marwat said they had “finally been granted justice from the IHC" on the matter of shifting Khan from Attock jail to Adiala jail. The lawyer said it was a “little bit of justice” but he was glad about it.

Khan, 70, has been kept in the Attock Jail since August 5 after his conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case. His sentence was suspended by the IHC on August 29, but he continues to remain in Attock prison in the cipher (secret diplomatic cable) leakage case.

A special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, on September 13 extended the judicial remand of Khan till September 26 in the cipher case.

Special court hearings in the cipher case against Khan have been taking place at the Attock jail, citing security reasons.

The Islamabad trial court which had sentenced Khan to three years in jail had directed the authorities to lodge him at Adiala prison. However, after his arrest, he was shifted to Attock jail.

According to the report in the Dawn newspaper, during the hearing, Justice Farooq observed, “The status of the PTI chairman’s sentence has changed. All under-trial prisoners of Islamabad are detained at the Adiala jail.” He then asked, “Why has the PTI chairman been kept at the Attock (jail) till now? Why not at the Adiala jail?” The IHC Chief Justice recalled that according to the “original order” of the Toshakhana case, Imran was to be kept at the Adiala jail.

At this, Dogal replied, “When the PTI chairman was detained in the cipher case, the court order was (to hold him at) the Attock jail.” Meanwhile, Khan's lawyer Marwat requested the court that the former premier be provided with an exercise machine as he was a “sportsman”, the report said.