IHC reserves verdict on pleas for Imran-style facilities

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved its verdict on petitions from three prisoners at Adiala jail seeking treatments at private hospitals and communication with relatives via WhatsApp calls. Justice Muhammad Asif reserved the decision after hearing arguments from the petitioners, the Advocate General of Islamabad, the Advocate General of Punjab, and jail authorities.

The petitioners - Owais Altaf, Ilyas Khan, and Muhammad Ismail - argue that necessary medical facilities are not available in government hospitals and that the prisoners should be allowed to receive treatment outside the prison. One of the prisoners has a serious bleeding disorder and has developed internal bleeding in the large intestine, which could prove fatal.

The IHC has also taken up the issue of communication with relatives, as the prisoners seek permission to communicate through WhatsApp calls. The court noted that the petitions raised two distinct issues: treatment and communication. The court emphasized that prisoners are also citizens and entitled to equal treatment before the law.

The Supreme Court's August 18th order, which directed PTI founder Imran Khan to be shifted to a private hospital for medical examination and treatment, has played a significant role in this case.