ISLAMABAD: The superintendent of Adiala Jail has denied that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan is being held in solitary confinement, informing the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the practice of solitary confinement has largely been abolished in prisons and is no longer in use.
The jail authorities submitted the report on Wednesday in response to a petition filed by Khan’s sister Aleema Khan challenging the alleged solitary confinement of the former prime minister.
The case is scheduled to be heard by Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro on Thursday (today).
In the report, the jail superintendent stated that no inmate at Adiala Jail, including Imran Khan, was being kept in solitary confinement and that Khan was serving his sentence in accordance with the law. The report stated that no discriminatory or unequal treatment was being meted out to the PTI founder, adding that, as a better-class prisoner, Khan had been provided with certain additional facilities in accordance with prison rules.
According to the report, special security arrangements have been made due to Khan’s status as a former prime minister and head of a political party, and ordinary inmates are not allowed access to his residential enclosure for security reasons.
The superintendent told the court that Khan was accommodated in a seven-cell compound where he could move about freely throughout the day and remained inside his cell only during designated night-time lock-up hours.
The report further stated that jail officials remained in regular contact with him regarding his needs, while the deputy superintendent used to meet him routinely and additionally whenever required.
It said prison doctors used to examine him three times daily, monitor his blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and other vital signs, inspects his meals and conduct additional medical examinations whenever necessary.
The superintendent also informed the court that a full-time convicted inmate had been assigned to prepare meals according to Khan’s preferred menu, adding he was also provided access to natural sunlight, fresh air and exercise facilities from sunrise to sunset, besides newspapers and books of his choice.
The report noted that Advocate Salman Safdar, appointed as a friend of the court, had inspected Khan’s cell and living conditions on February 10, 2026, and submitted his findings before the Supreme Court, concluding that the prison conditions were satisfactory and bore no element of solitary confinement.
The jail superintendent requested the court to dismiss the petition, describing Aleema Khan’s allegations as speculative and without merit.
