Adiala Jail Superintendent Requests Dismissal of Contempt Petition by Imran Khan

The Adiala jail superintendent has requested the court to cancel the contempt of court petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. The petition was against the superintendent for not allowing him to speak to his sons over the phone, going against court orders.

In his reply to the court, the superintendent strongly emphasized that he would never disobey a court order. He explained that there is no permanent facility in the jail for making international phone calls via WhatsApp. Special measures were taken to enable Imran Khan to speak with his children on October 18.

The superintendent informed the court that a PCO facility is available for making phone calls as per the inspector-general jail’s letter regarding the accused in the Official Secrets Act. He also mentioned that arrangements are made for prisoners to speak with their family and lawyers at the jail’s PCO. If necessary, the court can direct the Punjab Home Department to amend the rules concerning phone calls.

The court decided to adjourn the hearing of the contempt petition until Monday due to the absence of Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.

Earlier, three witnesses provided their testimonies against Imran Khan and PTI’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in relation to the cipher case, which is being tried under the Official Secrets Act. The court has called in three more witnesses for the next hearing, which is scheduled for November 10.


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During the trial, the legal teams consulted with Khan and Qureshi, and the PTI chief also met with his wife, Bushra Bibi, and his sisters within the jail premises. Qureshi’s daughter, Mehrabano, spoke with the media, demanding a fair trial for her father and emphasizing the importance of family presence during the proceedings.

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The Islamabad High Court has expressed concerns about the trial’s fairness and requested the attorney general to ensure that the cipher case trial proceeds correctly . The court rejected a request to stop the trial proceedings  until November 14.