Emotional exchange as Pakistan’s ex-PM Imran calls his sons from Adiala Jail

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

In compliance with a court directive, Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and former prime minister, was granted an opportunity to have a telephonic conversation with his sons in London from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi.

A report said an emotional exchange left both of Khan's sons, Qasim and Sulaiman, deeply moved.

During the call, the former prime minister was observed smiling and offering words of consolation to his sons in an effort to uplift their spirits.

According to officials, this special telephonic interaction took place via WhatsApp, which lasted half an hour. The arrangement was made in accordance with the orders of Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who holds hearings in the jail due to what the government says security reasons.

Earlier also, the same judge had issued the order, permitting Imran Khan to have a telephonic conversation with his sons, who reside in the United Kingdom with his former wife Jemima Goldsmith. The application for this arrangement had been submitted by the PTI chief through his counsel, Shiraz Ahmed Ranjha.

Imran Khan is currently detained at Adiala Jail and is facing trial under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. He is accused of allegedly misusing a diplomatic cypher during his last days as prime minister.

Prior to his incarceration at Adiala Jail, Khan had been held at Attock Jail after his conviction in the Toshakhana case on August 5. Subsequently, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended his sentence, but he was not released and was shifted to Adiala Jail due to his judicial remand in the cypher case under the Official Secrets Act.

The superintendent of the jail had initially refused to allow Imran Khan to communicate with his sons, citing the prohibition of phone calls for individuals charged under the Official Secrets Act, as per the jail manual. However, the court emphasized the need for the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be provided for arranging such telephonic conversations, and the matter was to be discussed once the SOPs were received.

Imran Khan's counsel raised concerns about the delay in providing the SOPs and also expressed the desire to send an indoor cycling bike to the PTI chief for exercise within his prison cell. The judge acknowledged his previous directive to provide the exercise machine to the accused.