The former Pakistani Prime Minister, now jailed, Imran Khan, compared his incarceration to that of a "terrorist." He said he was being kept in a so-called "death cell" at a high-security prison with a very serious violation of fundamental rights. Speaking exclusively to 'The Sunday Times' through his lawyers, PTI chief Khan said he has been lodged in a small solitary cell, normally reserved for high-risk detainees, 7ft by 8ft in size, and put under constant surveillance, denied all fundamental rights of a prisoner, and human rights to visitation.
“I am confined in a 7ft by 8ft death cell, typically reserved for terrorists to ensure they have no contact with anyone,” he told the newspaper.
“It is solitary confinement with barely any space to move. I am under constant surveillance by the agencies, being recorded 24/7, and I am denied basic prisoner and human rights such as visitation,” he said.
Khan, 71, has spent nearly a year in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail on account of convictions in cases that include corruption charges and an alleged un-Islamic marriage involving his wife, Bushra Bibi. However, despite the granting of bails and reversal of convictions in some cases, Khan remains detained as authorities argue that legal proceedings are still underway. Recently, Khan's wife, Bushra, expressed concerns over his safety and the condition he was being kept in at the prison, claiming he is being mistreated and expressing fears for his well-being.
Information Minister Atta Tarar rejected these reports and claimed that Khan has been kept in a comfortable facility with facilities, including a gym, kitchen, and fancy food, and hence denied the reports of hard conditions. The situation has brought in a maelstrom of debate and concern, and there are two different types of narratives going on regarding Khan's treatment and the circumstances surrounding his continued detention.
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