Judge finds camera outside Imran’s cell

Inspection report says superintendent has given assurance to redress grievance

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Monday released a report of a district and sessions judge pertaining to his inspection of the Attock jail, revealing that a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera was installed right in front of the cell of former premier Imran Khan breaching his privacy.

The report regarding the fortnightly jail inspection conducted on Aug 15 revealed that the CCTV camera was installed in a way that it left no room for privacy for the former premier and PTI chairman, who was confined at Attock jail since Aug 5 after being declared guilty in the Toshakhana (gift repository) case.

The report of Attock’s Additional District & Sessions Judge, Shafqutullah Khan, also revealed that Imran complained that his wife and lawyers did not get easy access when they came to visit him.

According to the report, Imran “expressed grave concern qua CCTV camera, installed in front of prison bars just at a distance of five to six feet covering the open bathroom-cum-latrine, having small L-shape walls about two-and-a-half to three-feet high, leaving no privacy while defecating and bathing”.

The judge stated when he visited Imran’s cell, the “concern expressed by the prisoner is genuine and is also a violation of Rules 257 and 771 of Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978”. It further added that prisoner Imran further complained that, “his wife and lawyers have no easy access to him”.

Following the PTI chairman’s complaint, the judge enquired from the jail superintendent present there about the CCTV camera and access to family and counsels.

“The superintendent present there has given assurance to redress this grievance of the prisoner,” the inspection report read, adding that the superintendent had also “assured that the prisoner shall be given access to his wife and lawyers as per prevailing rules”.

During the visit, the report stated that all necessary corners ie the barracks of ladies prisoners, juveniles, under-trial prisoners, civil prisoners, kitchen and hospital etc were visited and the inhabitants were interviewed in detail.

“No complaint was received, rather, the inhabitants were found satisfied with regard to provision of basic facilities,” the judge stated.

Meanwhile, the PTI Core Committee strongly condemned the jail authorities’ “inhuman and vindictive actions” against the PTI chairman in the Attock jail, saying it had now been testified by the judge.

In its meeting, the core committee said that the judge’s report highlighted the “mistreatment of the PTI chairman in the Attock jail”.

The party said stated that the PTI Core Committee had been pointing out the inhuman, immoral, and ill-treatment being meted out to Imran in jail for long but now it was also confirmed by the AD&SJ in his report.

However, the committee said that despite these measures, the PTI chairman was in high spirit and sticking to his principles like a rock.

During the meeting, the committee strongly condemned the “illegal arrest” of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi by the FIA and the ill-treatment meted out to him in captivity.

Also, the committee discussed President Dr Arif Alvi's tweet and the subsequent situation pertaining to the approval of the draft amendments to the Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.

The PTI Core Committee rejected the Ministry of Law’s notification regarding formation of a special court to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act.

The participants of the meeting said that the appearance of Qureshi before the special court and holding in-camera hearing after the president’s tweet and his clear position was concerning, adding that legislation without the assent of the president could not considered completed.

The committee said that the PTI would approach the Supreme Court for the solution of serious constitutional and state crisis.

In the meeting, they also discussed various aspects of the hearing of the appeal against the sentence of the PTI chairman in the Toshakhana case along with the hearing of his appeal in the Islamabad High Court scheduled for Tuesday (today).

During the meeting, they reiterated the demands of the formation of a high-powered judicial commission to probe into the cipher in order to bring the truth before the nation.