Medical, talk to families: IHC reserves verdict on petitions filed by 3 Adiala Jail prisoners

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its verdict on petitions filed by three Adiala Jail prisoners seeking transfer to private hospitals for medical treatment and permission to speak with their families abroad by telephone. A single-member bench of IHC Justice Muhammad Asif on Thursday reserved the decision after hearing arguments from the petitioners’ counsel, Advocate General Islamabad Naveed Hayat Malik, and Advocate General Punjab Barrister Zafarullah, both of whom opposed the pleas. The petitioners — Ilyas Khan, Muhammad Ismail Khan and Owais Altaf — had approached the court citing a Supreme Court order concerning PTI founder Imran Khan’s medical treatment at a private hospital, seeking similar relief for their medical conditions. Their counsel argued that the required treatment was not adequately available at government facilities and requested their transfer to Shifa International Hospital. During the hearing, Justice Muhammad Asif questioned whether authorities could deny treatment to a prisoner with a serious illness, observing that“authorities cannot play with a prisoner’s health”. He also raised concerns about whether a prisoner with no family in Pakistan could be denied telephone contact with relatives abroad. Advocate General Islamabad argued that the government’s position was not to deny treatment, citing fundamental rights under Articles 9, 14 and 25 of the Constitution, and maintained that Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has the necessary facilities for prisoner treatment. The petitioners, however, insisted that their medical conditions required specialized care available only at private hospitals. The court noted that the medical officer’s opinion was part of the report submitted by the Adiala Jail Superintendent. Justice Muhammad Asif also remarked that the condition of PIMS should be assessed, advising both advocate generals to visit the facility. An unusual situation also arose during the hearing when a uniformed official entered the courtroom, claiming to be an affected party in a prisoner’s case and seeking to become a party through a miscellaneous application. The court directed him to take a seat. Later, the court reserved judgment after hearing the arguments from both parties. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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