RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has directed jail authorities to facilitate a phone call between PTI founder Imran Khan and his sons, preferably during the upcoming Eid holidays.
The order was issued by Judge Amjad Ali Shah in response to a petition filed by Khan’s lawyer, Faisal Malik, seeking permission for the former prime minister to communicate with his children. The court also approved another request from Khan’s legal team, instructing jail authorities to provide him with books.
The ruling comes amid growing concerns from Khan’s family and party over restrictions on his communication and visitation rights.
On Thursday, the PTI strongly criticized the government for allegedly denying Khan’s family access to visit him at Adiala Jail, despite court orders. The party accused the authorities of violating his constitutional rights by keeping him in solitary confinement under harsh conditions.
Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, along with other family members, attempted to visit him on Tuesday but were reportedly turned away by jail officials. This refusal came despite a recent Islamabad High Court (IHC) directive allowing his family to meet him on Tuesdays and party leaders on Thursdays.
Earlier in the week, a three-judge bench of the IHC restored Khan’s visitation rights, affirming that family members and political associates could meet him twice a week. However, the court emphasized that all visitors must be pre-approved by his coordinator, lawyer Salman Akram Raja.
During the proceedings, the court expressed concerns over visitors using jail meetings for political messaging. Acting Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar stressed that meetings should remain private and that visitors must sign an undertaking to refrain from making public statements after meeting Khan.
In a parallel development, Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have filed petitions in the Islamabad High Court seeking suspension of their convictions in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.
The petitions, submitted by their lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar, argue that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) misused its authority and failed to conduct a complete investigation. The defense claims that a key omission in the case was the failure to obtain a declaration from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which originally investigated the funds in question. The petitions further contend that the NAB did not even interrogate NCA officials to verify the allegations.
An Accountability Court in Rawalpindi had sentenced Khan to 14 years in prison in the Al-Qadir Trust case, while Bushra Bibi was handed a seven-year jail term. The court also imposed fines of Rs. 1 million on Khan and Rs. 500,000 on Bushra Bibi. In case of non-payment, Khan would face an additional six months in prison, while his wife would serve an extra three months.
Following the verdict, Bushra Bibi was taken into custody from the courtroom in Rawalpindi and transferred to jail.
As legal battles continue, PTI supporters and family members are demanding greater transparency and access to the former premier.
