By Our Web Desk
Disregarding the jail manual, it has been reportedly said that the Attock jail administration has allowed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan to have breakfast at 11:30 am.
It was further reported that the jail authorities have enhanced facilities for the deposed premier, who is spending his three years jail term in prison in the Toshakhana case.
“The PTI chairman is allowed to take early morning walks in the jail’s premises,” reportedly said the jail sources, adding that he was being provided fruits daily.
On August 5, Imran Khan was apprehended at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore subsequent to his conviction in the Toshakhana case. The charges against him involved the alleged misuse of his premiership spanning from 2018 to 2022, during which he purportedly engaged in the buying and selling of state-received gifts from foreign visits, valued at over Rs140 million.
“Barrack number 3 has been allotted to Khan,” added the sources. Earlier, he was kept in barrack 2/1 in the jail.
Although, the ousted premier — who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote in April last year — was provided with a shaving kit, however, he has not used it so far, further reported from the jail sources.
Why Is Imran Khan Denied the Use of His Personal Shaving Kit in Jail?
Within the confines of Attock Jail, Imran Khan faces a restriction on utilizing his personal shaving kit. Interestingly, the former prime minister has chosen not to employ the shaving kit provided by the jail administration, leading to a prolonged interval between shaves, said Hamid Meer a Journalist in his tweet.
اٹک جیل میں عمران خان کو اپنی شیونگ کٹ استعمال کرنے کی اجازت نہیں وہ جیل انتظامیہ کی فراہم کردہ شیونگ کٹ استعمال کرنے سے انکاری ہیں لہذا انکی شیو بڑھ چکی ہے عمران خان کے وکیل بییرسٹر گوہر خان کا کہنا ہے کہ جیل قوانین کے مطابق خان صاحب کو اپنی شیونگ کٹ استعمال کرنے کا حق حاصل ہے pic.twitter.com/vTHEBmRVst
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) August 21, 2023
Barrister Gohar Khan, Imran Khan’s legal representative, asserts that according to jail regulations, Khan should be entitled to use his own shaving kit. Despite this, the right to do so has seemingly been denied.
‘Infested Cell’ Raises Concerns about Imran Khan’s Detention Conditions
Imran Khan’s attorney, Naeem Haider Panjotha, disclosed on August 7 that his client was enduring subpar conditions while being held at Attock jail. Panjotha, who serves as the legal counsel for the PTI chief, made these remarks following a prison visit.
According to Panjotha, the former prime minister, who was ousted from power through a parliamentary vote last year, was allocated a cramped space with an exposed restroom. Shedding light on the dire state of the cell, the lawyer detailed an infestation of flies and bugs that has plagued the area where Imran Khan is confined.
In response, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) intervened on August 9 and directed the jail authorities to adhere to legal standards in providing facilities for Khan.
‘Concerns over Khan’s Safety’
Last week, Bushra Bibi, the wife of the PTI chairman, expressed apprehension regarding her incarcerated spouse’s safety in Attock jail, stating that he could be vulnerable to poisoning there.
Addressing the Punjab home secretary through a letter, the former first lady asserted that her husband’s imprisonment in Attock jail lacked justification. She emphasized that, in accordance with the law, Imran Khan should be transferred to Adiala jail.
Demanding B-class amenities for Khan due to his societal and political stature, Bushra contended that such privileges were not available at Attock jail, which her husband rightfully merits. She underlined his status as an Oxford graduate and a former captain of the national cricket team.
Historical Significance of Attok Jail
Attock jail holds historical significance, having housed several of Khan’s political rivals in the past, including Nawaz Sharif, the supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N); Asif Zardari, the Co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP); and the current Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.
Situated at the meeting point of the Indus and Kabul Rivers in the northern town of Attock, Punjab, the prison carries a storied legacy. Once named Campbellpur in honor of Field Marshal Colin Campbell, it has served as a rest stop for eminent figures like Alexander the Great and Ibn-e-Battuta, a renowned explorer who embarked on an impressive pre-modern journey spanning 117,000 km.
While Khan is confined within Attock jail, Nawaz Sharif, Zardari, and Shehbaz Sharif were detained in the nearby Attock Fort during their respective incarcerations. Notably, Nawaz Sharif received a 14-year rigorous imprisonment sentence at the Attock Fort compound on July 21, 2000.
