Imran renews plea for justice, relief

ISLAMABAD:

Despite using unconventional methods, former prime minister Imran Khan has been unable to secure substantive relief from the superior courts.

So far, Imran Khan has written three letters to the chief justices of Pakistan (CJPs) — one to former CJP Qazi Faez Isa and two to the incumbent, CJP Yahya Afridi.

CJP Isa declined to entertain Khan's first letter regarding PTI's grievances. During the hearing of the NAB law amendments case, Imran had asked Isa to compare the facilities provided to him in jail with those granted to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Isa had assured him that a focal person would be appointed to visit his Adiala jail cell, but no such visit was ever reported.

In February, Imran sent a letter to CJP Afridi. Commenting on it, Afridi said the letter raised issues that fell under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, and therefore referred it to the constitutional benches committee headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan for further action.

Now, through his sister Aleema Khan, Imran has sent another letter to CJP Afridi. PTI lawyers Latif Khosa and Intizaar Panjuta delivered the letter directly to the CJP in his chamber and met him for more than 30 minutes. It is learnt that the CJP assured them he would respond within 24 hours.

However, under the new constitutional framework, the CJP cannot directly invoke jurisdiction under Article 184(3). He may only forward such matters to the constitutional benches committee, which has already decided that public interest litigation will only proceed on constitutional petitions — not on the basis of letters.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also visited the Supreme Court, seeking permission to meet Khan in jail, but his efforts remained unsuccessful. Aleema Khan too sought a meeting with CJP Afridi on Thursday, but her request was denied.

Imran's latest letter appeals to the CJP to "uphold the oath of your office and show the people that the Supreme Court of Pakistan remains their final refuge of justice".

The PTI founder details his prison conditions, noting that he has now spent more than 772 days behind bars due to over 300 cases filed against him. He laments being ostracised, saying his sons cannot visit him or even speak with him on the phone.

He also raises concerns over the imprisonment of his wife, Bushra Bibi, claiming her "only crime is that she's my wife." He describes her isolation in jail and worsening health, alleging that her doctor is barred from examining or treating her, despite legal provisions granting women special bail concessions.

A government report issued earlier this year contested these claims, stating that Bushra Bibi receives regular health monitoring and access to a dedicated kitchen in jail.

Imran further criticises the treatment of PTI workers arrested after the May 9 protests, highlighting the trials of civilians in military courts. He argues that many were "abducted, beaten, and subjected to military trials in flagrant violation of constitutional protections."

He cites the 10-year sentence of his nephew Barrister Hassan Niazi as an example of what he calls the unprecedented victimisation of his family.

One of the most pointed parts of his letter is his objection to the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he claims has been used to "sanctify electoral dacoity''.

The amendment, enacted in October 2024, altered the appointment process for the CJP, shifting it from seniority to nomination by a parliamentary committee. While the government defends it as a step to balance powers, the PTI brands it an attack on judicial independence.

Khan also criticises IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, accusing him of deliberately delaying hearings of his Al-Qadir Trust and Toshakhana cases.

His letter adopts a sombre tone as he recalls the 2024 Supreme Court verdict on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's case, which acknowledged that Bhutto had not received a fair trial: "Justice in its truest sense must happen in real time; pyrrhic justice occurs 44 years later."

The letter concludes with his demands: allowing telephone calls to his sons as required by jail rules, granting Bushra Bibi access to her doctor, and restoring the independence of Pakistan's judiciary.