Imran Khan seeks FIR against Punjab CM, police officials for 'denying' jail facilities

• Petition alleges Punjab CM orders violations of Imran’s rights.
• Family denied visit, cell remains without light, alleges petition.
• Police officials accused of harassing Imran’s family.
  

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has requested the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO) to lodge a case against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz along with eight police officials, alleging denial of facilities in Adiala jail.

The request, submitted by the jailed ex-prime minister's lawyer, Tabish Farooq, to CPO Khalid Hamdani, seeks the registration of a case against Maryam Nawaz, the Adiala Jail superintendent, ASP Zainab, SHO Aizaz, the Adiala outpost in-charge, and others — eight individuals in total, The News reported.

Sent to the CPO’s office via courier service, the petition states that Imran Khan is being denied standard facilities in prison. It alleges that on the instructions of the Punjab chief minister, even his basic rights as a prisoner are being violated. The petition claims there is no light in his cell and that his family is being denied visitation rights. It further asserts that he is “constantly kept in darkness” and that all these measures are being taken on the orders of the Punjab chief minister.

The request notes that Adiala jail falls under the Punjab government’s jurisdiction and references a past threat allegedly made by Maryam Nawaz that the former PTI chairman is “a seditionist.” Additionally, it accuses ASP Zainab, SHO Aizaz and the outpost in-charge of harassing Imran’s family in collusion, and of violating a high court order by obstructing visits from his sisters. Consequently, the petition demands a case be registered against all eight named individuals.

In a separate case, the special ATC in Rawalpindi accepted an application for an exemption from appearance for Aleema Khanum, the former chairman’s sister. She is among the accused in a case related to a violent protest by the PTI on November 26. The court adjourned the hearing until September 2 without any further action.

During Monday’s proceedings, the accused’s lawyer filed a request for a one-day exemption from appearance, which the court granted. The case against Aleema Khanum and others was registered by Sadiqabad Police Station, charging them with violent protest, arson and resistance against police.

'Royal trip'

Meanwhile, the PTI slammed Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her ‘extravagant royal’ foreign trip to Japan and snaring Punjab into a whopping loan trap. The party demanded full disclosure of public funds allegedly spent squandered on the personal publicity tour.

PTI Information Secretary Waqas Akram stated on Monday pointed out that as per the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Punjab government borrowed a staggering Rs405 billion in just first 38 days of the current fiscal year 2025-26 (July 1 to August 8).

Waqas demanded that state institutions take immediate notice, launch a thorough investigation into this massive corruption, and hold the rulers accountable.

Highlighting the plight of farmers, he said the regime deliberately reduced wheat prices during the harvesting season to punish the farming community for not voting for them. Later, Waqas added, the same crop was purchased cheaply by mafias, and now the rulers have jacked up prices only to benefit middlemen and profiteers, leaving the poor farmers devastated.

To a query by this correspondent, the jail authorities maintained, “No such precedent in the past available on record of such application by any inmate of the prison.” They reminded, “The same allegations have been falsified and nullified by the different honourable benches of Islamabad High Court (IHC) and other learned courts in more than 150 applications and writ petitions.

All the petitions have been decided in favour of the government/jail administration terming them as baseless and fabricated.”