IHC reserves verdict on Bushra Bibi’s plea for family meetings, medical access

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking family meetings with former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, access to her personal doctor and the provision of essential items.

The case, heard by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, pertained to a petition filed by Bushra Bibi’s daughter, Mubashra Maneka. The petition sought permission for regular family meetings, access to a private doctor and provision of essential items.

During the hearing, lawyer Salman Akram Raja argued that meetings with Bushra Bibi had been severely restricted despite her medical condition.

“Meetings were arranged on April 17; this was the day her operation was being carried out,” Raja told the court. “This was an emergency meeting which lasted only a few minutes”.

He said the last regular weekly meeting took place on February 24, after which no routine meetings were allowed for seven weeks, with only emergency meetings being permitted.

Questioning the restrictions, Raja asked: “What violation of Rule 265 has Bushra Bibi committed?”

He argued that the restrictions were unjustified, adding that it was an admitted fact that Bushra Bibi was unwell and had undergone surgery.

Read: Jail rejects daughter's plea to meet Bushra

He added, “Their entire case is that there are some tweets by Maryam Wattoo due to which meetings are not being allowed. Whenever they feel like it, they stop meetings,” he said.

Referring to material presented in court, he stated, “The Twitter account of Maryam Riaz Wattoo was mentioned in court. They presented tweets by Maryam Riaz Wattoo, but that woman is not even in Pakistan".

“If there is no connection, then there is no need to read her tweets,” Justice Tahir observed.

The court had earlier ordered Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig on May 4 to decide within two days on an application filed by Bushra Bibi’s daughter regarding medical access and family visitation, and to appear in person on May 6.

Baig, in a written report submitted to the IHC on Wednesday, opposed the request, stating that family meetings were followed by public political statements and social media activity, which, according to the administration, affected prison discipline and security.

The report submitted by the jail authorities specifically referred to social media posts attributed to Bushra Bibi's sister, Maryam Riaz Wattoo, claiming that tweets were shared after family meetings with the former first lady.

The lawyer further said the issue had been ongoing for years and that the defence counsel had been repeatedly coming to the courts for three years.

“We are told that it is the order of the ‘king’ that meetings cannot take place,” he added. “I do not know whether this is the wisdom of the jail superintendent or whether they are acting under some order,” he said.

“Whenever they feel like it, they keep her in solitary confinement for two to three months,” he added.

After his arguments concluded, Advocate General Islamabad Naveed Hayat Malik presented the government’s stance, arguing that prison authorities have discretionary powers over inmate facilities and that the jail superintendent has discretionary authority to decide which facilities a prisoner can be given and which cannot.

Read More: IHC summons Adiala jail superintendent in Bushra Bibi case, seeks medical, visitation reports

He raised objections to the maintainability of the petition, saying it was “not maintainable” as the petitioner had an alternative forum available, namely the Inspector General of Prisons against the jail superintendent’s order.

He further said that prisoners are required to maintain good behaviour, and disciplinary action can be taken in case of violations.

“We are bound by the law; there is no king here, everything is being done according to law,” adding that no meeting can take place without the permission of the jail superintendent.

Malik also claimed that an affidavit submitted by lawyer Salman Akram Raja was already on record, stating that he would not speak to the media after jail meetings.

Raja denied this, saying no such affidavit had been given. He clarified that his position was limited to not speaking outside the jail gate after meetings. He further told the court that he had been advised to speak elsewhere, adding, “You yourself told me that I could speak in the chamber or elsewhere,” he said while addressing Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir.

Malik insisted that an undertaking existed on record; however, Justice Tahir responded by noting his familiarity with the order, saying: “I wrote this decision myself, I know it.”

Following arguments from both sides, the court reserved its verdict.

Imran and Bushra Bibi remain incarcerated in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail. They were sentenced on December 20, 2025, to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case, which pertains to allegations that the couple unlawfully retained a Bulgari jewellery set gifted by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

Bushra Bibi was moved back to Adiala jail on April 17 after a crucial eye surgery in Rawalpindi, as concerns over her health continue to ripple through political circles. According to jail officials, ophthalmologists diagnosed retinal detachment, a condition that requires immediate intervention.

She was shifted to a private hospital on the evening of April 30, where she underwent pre-operative tests and subsequently consented to surgery. The procedure was carried out by Professor Dr Nadeem Qureshi along with a medical panel, after which she was discharged following an overnight stay and returned to custody.

Concerns around her condition had already been mounting after a document dated March 28 surfaced online, indicating that a doctor at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences had examined her and noted a "history of blurring of vision and a black spot in the right eye for the past 11 days".