ATTOCK: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjotha, claimed on Monday that the PTI chief — who is currently incarcerated in Attock Jail in a graft case — was being kept in “distressing conditions and provided C-Class jail facilities”.
On Aug 5, an Islamabad trial court had declared Imran guilty of “corrupt practices” in a case pertaining to concealing details of state gifts and sentenced him to three years in prison. Soon after the verdict, he was arrested by the Punjab police from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
The ex-premier was given B-Class facilities by the Punjab prisons department. However, his lawyers and the party claimed on Sunday they were not allowed by the jail administration to meet the PTI chairman.
The legal team said they wanted to get in touch with Imran to provide him with clothes, food and other necessary items, and also get his signatures. The jail authorities did not allow a meeting with the PTI chairman and asked the lawyers to come back on Monday to get power of attorney.
On Monday afternoon, Panjotha, spokesman to Imran on legal affairs, was finally allowed to meet the PTI chairman. The meeting lasted an hour and 45 minutes.
Narrating his conversation with Imran in a media talk, he said: “I asked Khan sahib about the situation in jail after his arrest. He said he is being kept in a dark, small, C-Class, chakki wala [manual labour] room. He said there is an open washroom there, which does not have a shower”.
“He said the jail has flies in the morning and insects in the evening,” Panjotha said.
“Khan sahib said he was being given the usual daal and saag … but he said he had no issue in this regard. Along with this, he also said that he was prepared if they moved him to a D-Class jail”.
“Khan sahib directed me to tell the media that he will never accept slavery,” Panjotha stated, adding that the PTI chief also paid tribute to party workers and top leadership for their “steadfastness”.
“Khan sahib also said that his house was attacked for the third time and attempts were made to break the door of his bedroom,” the lawyer said, referring to Imran’s arrest on Saturday.
Panjotha said the PTI chief directed the party’s legal team to take legal action against those who “attacked” Zaman Park and “kidnapped’ him.
“He also said that the PTI core committee will decide the way forward ‘in consultation with me’ … ‘no decision will be taken by a single person’.”
The lawyer also quoted Imran as saying that the public should continue their peaceful protests and continue this “war against slavery”.
Panjotha further claimed that Imran was not allowed to meet or talk to anyone over the phone. “I am the only person who has met him since the arrest.”
Khan sahib, the lawyer continued, also expressed the difficulties he faced in offering prayers because of the small cell. “But at the same time he said he was determined despite and would never bow before slavery,” Panjotha added.
In response to a question on Imran’s heath, the lawyer said the PTI chief was clad in trousers, a t-shirt and joggers when he met him. “Khan sahib said there was an open washroom, without any doors or walls, and rainwater entered his cell last night.
“But despite all this, his morale is very high,” Panjotha said.
The lawyer further alleged that Imran was also not provided facilities of television or newspaper.
