Three Adiala inmates seek private care after Imran Khan court order

Three inmates of Adiala jail have asked the Islamabad High Court to allow them treatment at private hospitals and better communication with their families.

The petitions were filed after the Supreme Court recently ordered authorities to shift former prime minister Imran Khan to a private hospital for medical examination and treatment.

The fresh cases have added to concerns within the government that the Supreme Court decision could encourage more prisoners to seek similar relief.

Government warned of more private treatment requests

The federal government had already raised this concern in its review petition before the Supreme Court.

It argued that allowing a convicted prisoner to receive treatment at a private hospital could affect the existing prison system and encourage many other inmates to make similar requests.

The government described the possible increase in such applications as a potential “floodgate” of requests from prisoners seeking treatment outside government facilities.

That concern is now being tested before the Islamabad High Court, where three Adiala inmates have brought separate petitions seeking medical and family-related relief.

Justice Muhammad Asif heard the matters and sought comments from the Adiala jail superintendent.

The court also issued notices to the prison authorities and adjourned the proceedings until Aug 27.

The upcoming hearing could provide further clarity on whether prisoners can seek private medical treatment when they believe the required care is unavailable at government hospitals.

Inmate cites serious health problems

One of the petitions was filed by Ilyas Khan, while Muhammad Ismail Khan and Owais Altaf also approached the court for relief.

During the hearing, Barrister Akhtar Chheena, who represented Ismail Khan, said his client was suffering from haemophilia and had developed internal bleeding.

The lawyer told the court that the prisoner had been taken to hospital around 10 times during the past two months.

However, his condition had reportedly not improved despite those visits and continued medical attention.

The counsel said the treatment needed for his client’s condition was currently available only at Shifa International Hospital.

He referred to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling and argued that prisoners should be allowed to receive private treatment when the necessary medical care is not available at government hospitals.

According to the argument, the cost of treatment could be paid by the prisoner’s family.

Lawyer asks for medical board

The lawyer also asked the Islamabad High Court to establish a medical board to determine whether the required treatment was available at a government hospital.

He questioned whether a prisoner should be denied treatment at a private facility when a necessary medical procedure is not available through a government hospital.

He also referred to serious procedures such as liver transplantation while arguing that access to suitable medical care should depend on the availability of treatment.

The request puts the focus on a wider question about prisoners’ medical rights and the responsibility of authorities when government facilities cannot provide specialised treatment.

The court will now consider the responses from prison officials before deciding how the petitions should proceed.

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Another inmate seeks treatment at private hospital

Owais Altaf also pressed his petition before Justice Muhammad Asif.

His lawyer, Syed Jafar, appeared through video link and told the court that Altaf was suffering from fever and a heart-related condition.

The lawyer argued that proper medical treatment is a fundamental right of every prisoner.

He maintained that the treatment required by Altaf was not available at a government medical facility.

Based on that argument, the lawyer requested an order allowing Altaf to be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for treatment.

The case could become important because it raises the same question that emerged after the Supreme Court order involving Imran Khan: whether prisoners can receive treatment at private hospitals when suitable care is unavailable in government facilities.

Family communication also raised in court

The petitions were not limited to medical treatment.

In another plea, Ismail Khan asked the court for permission to communicate with his brother, who lives in Dubai.

His lawyer requested directions for jail authorities to facilitate communication between the two brothers.

The request highlights another issue facing prisoners and their families: maintaining contact while an inmate remains in custody.

The Islamabad High Court will consider the responses from prison authorities when the cases return for hearing on Aug 27.