Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has refused to be shifted to Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi from Attock Jail.
As per sources, Imran Khan told his lawyer during a court hearing of the cipher case that he did not want to go to Adiala Jail.
He is reported to have directed his lawyer Salman Safdar to withdraw their application regarding shifting the PTI chief to Adiala. He told his lawyer that he was fine in Attock and did not want to be shifted.
During the hearing, Salman Safdar had informed his client about the Islamabad High Court’s order to shift him to Adiala Jail, as all under-trial prisoners of Punjab are kept there.
Also Read: PTI chief Imran Khan shifted from Attock to Adiala Jail, lawyer claims
On Monday, the Islamabad High Court had directed to shift PTI Chairman Imran Khan from Attock to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq remarked that it is clear the former prime minister deserves a better class in jail. His rights should not be violated.
The high court was hearing the case of shifting Imran Khan from Attock Jail to Adiala Jail.
The chief justice commented that according to the law, an under-trial prisoner of Islamabad should be held in Adiala Jail. He asked why an under-trial prisoner was kept in Attock Jail and not Adiala.
The chief justice added that Imran Khan was kept in Attock Jail in the Toshakhana criminal case in which his sentence has been suspended.
Also Read: Cipher case: Imran Khan, Qureshi's remand extended till Oct 10
The court sought a response from the additional attorney general in this regard.
Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal told the court that when the PTI chief was arrested in the cipher case the order stated Attock Jail.
He added that Imran Khan should be provided with everything that he has a right to as per jail rules. His rights should not be violated, the CJ remarked.
Later in the day, Imran Khan's lawyer claimed he had been shifted to Adiala Jail.
Sher Afzal Marwat had posted on his X account that the PTI chief had been placed in a room with attached bath and other facilities, as admissible under the prison rules for a former prime minister.
However, another PTI lawyer claimed the reports of Imran Khan having been shifted could not be confirmed.
Written order on jail shifting petition
The Islamabad High Court has issued a written order on the petition of PTI Chairman Imran Khan's jail transfer to Adiala.
The court on Tuesday declared that after the suspension of the sentence in Toshakhana case, the present status of the petitioner is that of an under-trial prisoner, and only convicted criminals of Islamabad can be kept in the jails of Punjab.
The PTI chief was sentenced to three-year imprisonment in the Toshakhana case, the court order stated, adding the trial court had ordered to keep Imran Khan in Adiala Jail, but he was transferred to Attock Jail on the plea that there were capacity and security concerns at Adiala.
On the recommendations of the inspector general of prisons, Imran Khan had been transferred to Attock Jail for the completion of his sentence, the court order stated.
After the high court suspended the sentence on August 28, he was again arrested in the cipher case. The court further said that according to the Punjab additional advocate general, transferring to Adiala Jail was a security risk.
The AAG also backed the idea of keeping the petitioner in Attock Jail, the written order says.
After the suspension of the Toshakhana sentence, the present status of the petitioner is that of an under-trial prisoner, the court order says, adding that under-trial prisoners of all cases in Islamabad are kept in Adiala Jail.
Only convicted prisoners can be shifted to a jail in Punjab, according to the written order. Being a former prime minister, the petitioner is entitled to a better class in the jail, the order further said.
