Court allows Imran to talk to his sons over phone

A special court recently established to hear cases filed under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Islamabad has allowed the former prime minister to talk to his sons on telephone.

The PTI chairman, who has been held in Punjab’s Attock Jail since August 5, had filed a request to talk to his sons – Qasim and Suleiman – over the phone. He filed the petition through his lawyers Umair Niazi and Shiraz Ahmed.

In the application, the incarcerated politician stated that he wanted to talk to his sons, who live in the United Kingdom with their mother Jemima Goldsmith, on telephone or WhatsApp.

Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, while accepting the request of PTI chief, directed the Superintendent of Attock Jail to make arrangements for the phone call on Thursday.

Yesterday, the special court had remanded Imran Khan in judicial custody until September 13 in a case related to the illegal possession and disclosure of a classified diplomatic cipher during the final stages of his term as prime minister.

The court also issued notices regarding his post-arrest bail application.

Also read: Imran remanded in judicial custody until 13th

A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended the three-year sentence imposed on PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case. On Wednesday, the high court sent his release order to Attock Jail after the former PM submitted a surety bond of Rs100,000.

However, the suspension of the sentence in the gifts case did not immediately translate into Imran’s release, as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) announced the arrest of the former PM in the diplomatic cipher case on Tuesday, reportedly right after the IHC order.

On Wednesday, Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain conducted a hearing of the cipher case within Attock Jail, following a notification from the Ministry of Law. Imran Khan, present in the courtroom, was represented by advocates Salman Safdar, Ahmed Musarrat, and Intizar Panjutha.

Reacting to the development, PML-N’s Senator Irfan Siddiqui took to X, saying, “It is a good thing that Khan is allowed to call his sons.”

Comparing this incident with that of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he said that Nawaz received the news of his wife Begum Kulsoom's deteriorating health condition while leaving the NAB court. Despite pleading with the Adiala Jail authorities, Nawaz was not allowed to talk to his ailing wife in London. “After a while these people came and said, "Begum Sahiba has passed away".

“Is there any shame in anyone’s eyes?”