Court warns that jail superintendent may be forcibly detained if he fails to appear for next hearing
Former first lady Bushra Bibi. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig, warning that he could be forcibly produced if he does not appear for the next hearing.
The order came during proceedings on a petition seeking access for Bushra Bibi to a personal doctor and permission for family visits. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir expressed concern over the absence of the superintendent despite previous court orders.
Earlier, on May 4, the court had ordered Baig to decide within two days on an application by Bushra Bibi’s daughter regarding medical access and family visits, and to appear in person on May 6.
During the hearing, Islamabad Advocate General Naveed Hayat Malik, who appeared before the court for the first time since his appointment, sought more time, arguing that the matter was not urgent. However, the petitioner’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, opposed the application, calling the case “urgent” and claiming that Bushra Bibi’s family had been denied visitation rights.
Raja told the court that the last family meeting took place on February 24 and claimed that even routine visits were not being facilitated. He also criticized what he described as decisions made “over the phone.”
The advocate general maintained that Bushra Bibi, as a convicted prisoner, was being treated according to jail rules and said records of past meetings could be produced. A tense exchange ensued, prompting the court to intervene and order that no proceedings be issued.
Read: Afridi announces pen-down strike
Noting the continued non-compliance with its orders, the court again summoned the superintendent to appear at the next hearing. He also ordered Bushra’s daughter Bibi to be present and requested detailed reports on her medical condition and prison visitation arrangements.
The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday.
Imran and Bushra Bibi remain imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. They were sentenced on December 20, 2025 to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case, which concerns allegations that the couple illegally withheld a set of Bulgari jewelry gifted by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Bushra Bibi was shifted back to Adiala Jail on April 17 after crucial eye surgery in Rawalpindi, as concerns over her health continue to reverberate in political circles. According to jail officials, ophthalmologists diagnosed retinal detachment, a condition that requires immediate intervention.
On the afternoon of April 30, she was transferred to a private hospital, where preoperative tests were performed and she subsequently accepted surgery. The procedure was carried out by Professor Dr Nadeem Qureshi along with a medical panel, following which she was discharged after spending the night and returned to custody.
Concerns about her condition had already increased after a document dated March 28 appeared online, stating that a doctor from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences had examined her and noted a “history of blurred vision and a black spot in her right eye for the past 11 days.”
