Islamabad:
The Superior Court of Islamabad has issued notices to federal and provincial authorities on a petition that seeks permission for the imprisoned founder of Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf, Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, holding conjugated meetings in jail.
In response to the petition, Judge Arbab Muhammad Tahir ordered the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad, the Punjab Government, the Inspector General of Prisons and the Superintendent of the Prison to respond to the statement presented by a citizen, Shahid Yaqub.
The petitioner argued: “According to section 545-A of the Rules of Prison 1978, family life is supported. Not providing this installation, the prison authorities are violating the law.” His lawyer added that inmates have the right to meet their spouses within prisons.
Read more: The prisoners granted marital rights
Yaqub said that the couple’s right to marriage relations was being denied. “Prisoners should be allowed to meet with their wives or husbands within prisons. Denial of this right violates international laws and decisions of the Supreme Court,” the petition said.
The court postponed the hearing until September 30 after looking for responses from the parties. Neither Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi nor PTI are petitioners or respondents in the case. PTI has already distanced himself from the application.
Procedure for conjugal visits in jail
There is a legal process for a prisoner to meet with the spouse. The inmate or the spouse must first request the superintendent of the prison. If the permit is denied, the application can be taken to the attached commissioner.
In the event that the Deputy Commissioner also rejects it, the application may be submitted to the corresponding Court of First Instance. If the Court of First Instance dismisses the application, the matter can be taken to the Superior Court.
These meetings require a family hall designated within the prison. However, according to Fuentes, Central Jail, Adiala, currently does not have an installation for conjugal meetings.
What are conjugal visits?
Contrary to popular belief in Pakistan, prisoners also have rights. One of them is the right to conjugal visits, which allow married inmates to meet their spouses in privacy while fulfilling prayer.
In such visits, prisoners and spouses receive a room to spend time together. In Sindh, after an order from the Supreme Court on penitentiary reforms and conjugal rights, the Provincial Department of the Interior issued a 2010 notification that indicates that the spouse of a prisoner would be allowed to meet them during the day or night once every three months.
The arrest of Imran Khan and the disturbances of May 9
The former prime minister was expelled from the position in 2022. A year later, he was arrested after his conviction in the case of Toshakhana, receiving a three -year prison sentence.
In 2024, a special court formally accused Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the so -called Toshakhana 2.0 case, deepening their legal problems.
After their arrest, the riots broke out throughout the country, with party leaders and workers organizing protests that went to civil and military facilities, including Jinnah House and the general headquarters in Rawalpindi.
The military condemned events as a “black day” and decided to try the protesters under the Army Law. As a result of the riots, many PTI members were arrested and tried in military courts.
In December, a military court condemned 25 people, including Imran Khan’s nephew, Hassan Khan Niazi, and then sentenced to 60 more.
Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi condemned in a case of £ 190 million
Earlier this year, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were convicted in the case of £ 190 million. Imran was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Bushra Bibi received a seven -year prison sentence. The judge of the Court of Responsibility Javed Rana announced the order in a Court Chamber within the Adiala prison in Rawalpindi.
In addition to the prison sentences, the Court imposed fines of RS1 million in Imran and RS500,000 in Bushra. If fines are not paid, Imran will turn six months in prison, and Bushra Bibi will face three additional months.
What is the case of £ 190 million?
The case alleges that Imran Khan and others involved adjusted RS50 billion, equivalent to £ 190 million at that time, which was transferred by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom to the Pakistani government.
As Prime Minister, Imran obtained the approval of the Cabinet for this agreement on December 3, 2019, without revealing the confidential details of the agreement.
The agreement had stipulated that the funds would be presented to the Supreme Court. According to NAB officials, he and his wife received land worth billions of rupees for the construction of an educational institute.
Also read: Imran, reserved wife in case of falsification about Toshakhana Watch
NAB presented the reference on December 1, 2023 against eight accused people, including Imran and his wife. The court on January 6, 2024 declared that the rest of six defendants proclaimed criminals, since they did not face the trial and escaped foreign countries.
The Court accused Imran and Bushra on February 27, 2024. The Prosecutor’s Office presented 35 witnesses, to whom the defense later interrogated. The key witnesses in the case included former principal secretary of Prime Minister Azam Khan, former Defense Minister Pervez Khattak and former Federal Minister Zubaida Jalal.
Three different judges presided over the case in several stages of the trial, while the final investigation officer, Mian Umar Nadeem, was interrogated after 38 hearings.
The Court of Responsibility provided 15 opportunities to complete their statements under section 342. However, the defense does not present witnesses.
