Imran's 'solitary prison' challenged

Aleema Khanum, sister of former prime minister Imran Khan, has filed a writ petition in the IHC seeking a declaration that the prolonged solitary confinement and incommunicado detention of her brother at Adiala Jail is illegal, unconstitutional, and without lawful authority.

The petition, filed under Article 199 of the Constitution through a legal team led by Barrister Salman Safdar and Advocate Salman Akram Raja, names the superintendent and deputy superintendent of Adiala Jail, the Punjab inspector general of prisons, the NAB chairman, the FIA director general, the medical superintendent of PIMS, and the state as respondents.

The petition argues that solitary confinement can only be imposed when expressly awarded by a court - and even then, for no more than 14 days at a stretch.