LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed the Punjab Home Department to provide better jail class to the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ejaz Chaudhry.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh issued the direction, allowing a petition of the senator’s wife, Ms Salma Ijaz.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mehar Fayaz, argued that the husband of his client was an elderly person with a medical history. He said the PTI leader was on judicial remand in multiple cases related to the May 9 events.

He pleaded that the home department dismissed an application for the provision of better jail class to the petitioner’s husband without any valid reason, saying the senator was eligible for a better class in jail.

The lawyer asked the court to order the jail officials to provide the PTI leader all facilities he was entitled to under the law.

Additional Advocate General Ghulam Sarwar Nahang opposed the petition, saying the husband of the petitioner could not be provided better class in jail as he faced several cases registered under the charges of terrorism.

The petitioner’s counsel pointed out that former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, who also faced similar charges, had been provided the same facility in jail on a court direction.

The bench allowed the petition and directed the home department to provide better class to the imprisoned senator.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2023