LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday directed the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail to allow home-cooked food, medicines, a mattress and a revolving chair to Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif in addition to other facilities permitted under the rules.

The court had on Oct 20 sent Mr Shehbaz to jail on judicial remand after rejecting the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) request for his further physical remand in a money laundering and illegal assets reference.

PML-N’s Deputy Secretary Attaullah Tarar, MPA Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Khalil Tahir Sindhu, all practicing lawyers, appeared on behalf of the opposition leader before the court.

They complained to the court that Mr Shehbaz had been denied basic facilities in the jail by the authorities at the behest of Prime Minister Imran Khan. They said the opposition leader had been subjected to vindictive actions in violation of his fundamental rights.

Opp leader made to sleep on floor, his counsels complain

Mr Khan said Mr Shehbaz was a cancer survivor and had a chronic backache for which he needed medicines and appropriate furniture. He said the opposition leader was forced to sleep on floor in the jail.

He asked the court to order the jail officials to provide Mr Shehbaz Class-B facility in the jail and other basic facilities in view of his health condition.

Presiding Judge Jawadul Hassan ordered the jail superintendent ensure provision of all facilities to the suspect he was entitled to under the rules, in addition to medicines, a mattress and a revolving chair to offer his prayers.

The judge sought a compliance report from the jail superintendent on Oct 27.

Marriyum: PML-N information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb says mistreatment of its president Shehbaz Sharif in jail reflects “cheap” mindset of selected Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“This mistreatment of Shehbaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat is a reflection of the anguish, agony, fear, desperation and frustration Imran Niazi is in after the resounding success of Gujranwala public meeting,” she said in a statement issued here on Wednesday. She said the Gujranwala rally was enough to expose the despicable face of Imran Khan which was “horribly disfigured by shamelessness, vengeance and insecurity.”

The former information minister further said: “Imran does not care about the worst inflation, unemployment and devastated economy because all he cares about is victimising his political opponents. He isn’t bothered about providing medicines, sugar and flour to the people because he is too busy figuring out ways to mentally and physically torture Shehbaz Sharif. Imran doesn’t care about devastating businesses, daily wage jobs, labourers and blue collar workers being out of job because he is too occupied putting up cameras in Shehbaz’s room and washroom.”

Marriyum Aurangzeb demanded that who barged into PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz’s room in Karachi and why and on whose directives must be answered in the inquiry ordered by the Chief of the Army Staff.

“The IG police Sindh was abducted for the sole purpose of raiding Maryam’s room therefore any investigation excluding answers to this incident would be incomplete and inconsequential,” she said. She demanded that those found guilty should apologise to the daughters of the entire nation including Maryam Nawaz and this fact be made part of the report.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2020