Adiala Jail Is Run By ISI Officials, Imran Khan Alleges In Court Petition

Islamabad, June 28: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking judicial intervention in the case of the Rawalpindi Central Jail, also known as Adiala Jail, where he is lodged. Khan has alleged that the jail is run by an ISI colonel and a major who interfere in its functioning.

In the petition filed through his lawyer Shoaib Shaheen, Khan said the prison was effectively run by two intelligence officers, Dawn reported.

The petition stated that despite clear orders from the IHC, the Adiala prison superintendent did not allow him to consult the PTI leadership or lawyers.

He cited a case recently decided by the IHC in which a high court, citing Rule 265 of the Prison Manual, held that a prisoner had the right to write letters and give interviews twice a week.

The petition states: “It is explained that this order was issued to recall, reiterate and preserve the values ​​and traditions of our legal system and has little to do with the identity of the petitioner himself. These values ​​and traditions must apply to all, regardless of who the petitioner is, but, of course, they take on greater significance when the prisoner in question is not only a political leader with a large following, but also a former holder of the highest executive office in the land.”

According to the petition, the IHC repeatedly directed the Adiala prison director to “revise the standard operating procedure that two days a week is not enough for a meeting.”

The petitioner stated that the Supreme Court of Pakistan, while hearing an appeal regarding amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) rules, had accepted that PTI and the petitioner enjoyed greater support among the masses and the apex court had suggested political dialogue to enable the party to play its significant role in alleviating the miseries of the masses as a whole.

However, the petition states that “the entire process was handled by the Colonel and Major of ISI who is causing interference and laxity in the civil administration as they have mala fide intentions against the petitioner and due to their interference the petitioner is not able to consult the management party, and his fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution are not protected.”

The petition said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was allowed to hold uninterrupted consultations with over 15 people a day, while Imran Khan was denied meetings with party leadership and lawyers.