The appropriate authorities have once again been ordered by a special court to allow former prime minister Imran Khan to interact over the phone with his sons, Qasim and Dawood, who reside in the United Kingdom with the PTI chief’s ex-wife.
This order was issued on Wednesday at a hearing by Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, who represented the former premier, Shiraz Ahmed Ranjha, in his plea.
Currently, Imran is being held at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where he is being tried under the Official Secrets Act, of 1923, for allegedly using a diplomatic cipher in his final days as prime minister. Before his August 5 conviction in the gifts repository case, he lived in Attock Jail.
The same court had asked Imran to have a conversation with his boys, but the jail administrator had refused to abide by that directive. The official argued that the leader of the PTI was accused under the Official Secrets Act, and as per the jail manual, people charged under this statute are prohibited from making phone calls.
The superintendent of Adiala Jail was noted by the court on Wednesday for failing to send the standard operating procedures (SOPs) necessary to set up a phone call between a defendant and his relatives.
“Once the SOPs are received, let’s discuss it.”
However, Imran’s lawyer objected to the SOPs’ postponed delivery.
He said in court that he intended to provide the chairman of the PTI with an indoor cycling bike so that he could work out in his cell. The judge pointed out that he had already given the staff at the jail instructions to give the accused this exercise equipment.
The judge stated that he did not want that bike to be used by anyone else when Ranjha stated he could send a stationary bike to the jail right away if the court permitted him. The judge said, “May it not be the case that you send a bike, and the jail superintendent starts using it.”
The jail guidebook was another thing the judge had to keep in mind.
He said, “The PTI chairman says that food should be ordered from home, but who will take the responsibility? We also need to ensure the safety of the PTI chief.” The jail authority is accountable if the food is made there. Regarding the bicycle issue, I give orders to take care of that issue.
Judge Zulqarnain then gave the jail superintendent orders to set up a WhatsApp call between Imran and his sons.
