Imran informs visiting PTI leaders about his jail cell conditions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Saturday said the party founder chairman Imran Khan was optimistic, and his message to the nation was that he would spend even 100 years in jail if he had to, for the supremacy of the Constitution and law in the country.

Gohar told a news conference after meeting the party supremo in Adiala jail, along with some other leaders, that Imran Khan vowed to continue the fight and promised that he would never disappoint the people of Pakistan.

Gohar said the PTI founder took the constitutional amendment consultation in a positive way and asked for continuing talks with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He said Imran Khan had been informed about the constitutional amendment and the progress made with Maulana Fazlur Rahman. “Khan Sahib praised Maulana Fazlur Rehman and remarked that the constitutional amendment is a serious matter,” he noted.

The PTI chairman said he met the party founder for 45 minutes and he was fine. “We were expecting to be given enough time to talk, but were given only 45 minutes. We will try to meet him again on Monday,” he added.

He said it was for the first time after his imprisonment at Adiala jail that Imran Khan mentioned the conditions of his cell: there was no electricity in his cell for five days, no newspaper and TV facilities had been provided to him for the last two weeks and he was allowed out of his cell only for two-and-a-half hours daily.

The PTI chairman said, “We strongly condemn the ill-treatment of Imran Khan in jail; the rights of the PTI founder should be taken care of and he should be provided the facilities he was entitled to in his solitary confinement.” He contended that keeping him in a small cell was a serious violation of constitutional and legal rights.

Gohar said Imran Khan was not aware of the arrest of his sisters, and he expressed regret over it, but said he and his entire family would sacrifice for the struggle for people. He requested the entire nation to remain peaceful.

Gohar said the PTI founder asked to see four party leaders, including the opposition leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub, opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Ahmad Bachhar, opposition leader in Senate Shibli Faraz and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin

However, Adiala jail sources related a different story of the party leaders’ meeting with the founder. “You people are of no use to me,” Imran Khan was quoted as telling his party leaders by the sources.

According to prison sources, Imran Khan reprimanded the PTI leaders for not getting him out of the jail so far. He complained that his party leaders did not follow the protest plan he had given for his release.

Sources said the PTI founder told the visiting team that he had asked to continue the protest, but “all your protests failed. I had told you to protest during the SCO [summit], but no one acted on it. Follow the plan given by me, only then I will come out of jail.”

Meanwhile, the Adiala jail authorities responded to the allegations made by the PTI leaders regarding treatment of Imran Khan in jail, asserting that the former prime minister was being provided with all amenities he was entitled to under B-Class jail rules.

In an official statement on Saturday, the jail authorities clarified, “Imran Khan has been given all facilities, including uninterrupted electricity, proper meals and the opportunity to exercise regularly.” They added that a professional cook prepares his meals, which include a wide variety of dishes according to his preferences.

Khan’s breakfast consists of coffee, chia seeds, beetroot juice, yoghurt, chapati, biscuits and dates. For lunch, he is served traditional curry, local chicken, yoghurt, chapati, salad, green tea, and mutton. Dinner includes porridge, coconut, coconut juice and grapes, all prepared under the supervision of an assistant superintendent.

“His food is prepared according to his choices and under strict supervision,” the statement read, dismissing claims made during a press conference earlier in the day by the PTI leaders.

Regarding his health, the jail authorities said that Imran Khan was being examined three times a day by an in-house doctor and recent medical tests confirmed he was in good health. Two days ago, doctors from PIMS Hospital also conducted an examination and confirmed his well-being.

Khan, who has been incarcerated since last year, is also provided with daily newspapers and exercises for two hours each day, the officials said. They refuted the claims of isolation, stressing that security arrangements in B-Class are “thorough and complete”.

The authorities labelled the news circulating on social media and within political circles regarding Khan’s alleged mistreatment as “baseless”. They reaffirmed that the former prime minister’s conditions comply with all legal requirements.

Separately, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram criticised the prison administration for not allowing lawyer Salman Akram Raja to meet Khan, although Gohar, Ali Zafar and Asad Qaiser were permitted.