• IHC judge issues order on petition filed by ex-PM’s sister
• Swati’s physical remand annulled

ISLAMABAD: Justice Arbab Moham­mad Tahir of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the Adiala Jail authorities to ensure compliance with the jail manual and provide all facilities to the incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan according to regulations.

The court passed the directions on the petition of the jailed leader’s sister Noreen Niazi.

Senior jail officials, including DIG Prisons Abdul Rauf and deputy superintendent of Adiala Jail, appeared before the court to answer questions raised in the petition.

DIG Rauf informed the court that family members’ meetings with the founding PTI chairman had resumed and assured the court that facilities were being provided to him according to the prison regulations.

The deputy superintendent also told the court that all facilities allowed under jail rules were accessible.

Shoaib Shaheen, representing the PTI leader, argued that key amenities such as newspapers of his client’s choice and regular phone contact with the family had not been consistently provided.

He urged the court to ensure that visitation rights remain uninterrupted.

Justice Tahir questioned whether these amenities were part of the jail manual, to which the officials affirmed their inclusion. The judge instructed the authorities that all facilities outlined in the jail regulations must be made available to the former premier, warning them against any lapses.

The court ordered that these amenities must continue, observing this will mark a step towards upholding the rights of detained individuals.

Swati’s remand

In a separate case, an IHC bench comprising Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb and Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir annulled the trial court’s order for PTI leader Azam Swati’s physical remand in a terrorism case.

The court directed that Mr Swati be placed under judicial custody.

Justice Aurangzeb questioned the rationale behind granting multiple remands, emphasising that physical remand should be minimised and properly justified.

The court perused the report of ATC Judge Abul Hasnat, which clarified that records of all cases had been requested to streamline the proceedings. The court acknowledged the report to be satisfactory.

A day earlier, Justice Aurangzeb expressed displeasure over the conduct of Judge Abul Hasnat and passed some adverse remarks. However, after perusal of his report, the IHC judge said his anger was not appropriate.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2024