Govt submits details, pictures of Imran’s Adiala Jail facilities in Supreme Court
Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Thursday reserved the verdict in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments case, providing a week’s time for those involved to submit further written arguments.
The verdict has been reserved on the federal and provincial governments’ pleas, challenging the apex court’s September 15 majority 2-1 judgment, which was announced by a bench led by former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial.
In 2022, the Pakistan Democratic Movement government made amendments to the National Accountability (NAB) Ordinance, with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan challenging it in the court as it would “virtually eliminate any white-collar crime committed by a public office holder”.
In its judgment on Khan’s appeal, the top court ruled on Sept 15 that the public officials whose cases had ended due to the amendments made by the PDM-led government would have to once again face corruption references.
The government then filed a petition in October 2023, saying that the majority judgement suffers from procedural impropriety and is, therefore, liable to be set aside.
During the hearings, PTI founder Khan appeared before the five-member bench via video link and also expressed the issues that he’s been facing during imprisonment.
He had claimed that he was in solitary confinement, but the federal government Thursday submitted documents to show that the former prime minister was being provided several facilities.
After hearing arguments from all sides the bench — led by CJP Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justices Athar Minallah, Aminuddin Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, and Hasan Azhar Rizvi — reserved the verdict.
The government provided evidence, including photographs of the facilities that Khan was benefitting from during his incarceration in response to his claims of “solitary confinement” and not receiving the provisions.
In the jail, Khan is provided with an exercise bike and stretching belt for physical fitness, books, a separate kitchen, a special menu, an exclusive gallery for a walk, LED, a room cooler, and a study table.
In the detailed document submitted to the court, the government not only provided photographic evidence of all the facilities but also the names of all those who have visited him in the prison facility so far.
The former prime minister also held 105 meetings with at least 403 people during the time period of 246 days — from September 28 to May 30 — in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
