The UN special rapporteur says conditions fall well below international minimum standards
Former first lady Bushra Bibi. PHOTO: FILE
A United Nations expert has warned that the condition of Bushra Bibi Khan, the detained wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, could pose a serious risk to her physical and mental well-being and is calling on the government to take immediate corrective measures.
Bushra Bibi is currently serving a seven-year sentence in the £190 million corruption case. Separately, a special court last week sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana-II case.
“The state has an obligation to protect Ms. Khan’s health and ensure conditions of detention compatible with human dignity,” Alice Jill Edwards, the UN special rapporteur on torture, said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
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According to the rapporteur, Bushra Bibi, who is detained in Adiala prison, is allegedly confined in a small, poorly ventilated cell described as dirty, overheated and infested with insects and rodents. Frequent power outages reportedly leave the cell in complete darkness, while she is said to be provided with impure drinking water and food rendered inedible by excessive use of chili powder.
The statement said these conditions have led to a reported weight loss of around 15kg, recurrent infections, fainting spells and untreated medical complications, including a tooth abscess and a stomach ulcer, which Edwards said stemmed from alleged food contamination during a previous detention period.
“Such conditions fall far below international minimum standards,” Edwards said. “No detainee should be exposed to extreme heat, contaminated food or water, or conditions that aggravate existing medical conditions.”
She also reminded Pakistan that the conditions of detention must take into account the age, gender and health conditions of the detainees.
The UN expert further noted reports indicating that Bushra Bibi is often subjected to almost total isolation for more than 22 hours a day, sometimes for periods of over ten days. During these intervals, she is allegedly denied access to training, reading materials, legal advice, family visits or her personal doctors.
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“Prolonged isolation of this nature increases psychological distress and inhibits access to essential safety measures,” she added. “Together with unaddressed medical needs, it poses an acute risk.”
“The authorities must ensure that Mrs. Khan has the opportunity to communicate with her lawyers and receive visits from family members and have meaningful human contact throughout her detention,” Edwards said.
It is pertinent to note that earlier in April this year, a report on Bushra Bibi’s prison conditions was submitted to the Islamabad High Court, stating that she receives regular health monitoring and is housed in a separate, spacious room in the facility.
The report stated that she undergoes medical check-ups twice daily and has been provided with basic furniture including a mattress, chair, table and bookcase, along with adequate lighting, fan facilities and a room cooler for summer. An LCD TV is also provided in the room.
It further said that a separate kitchen has been set up so that she can prepare her own meals, which are examined by the prison doctor before they are served.
Earlier this month, Edwards had also raised serious concerns over what she described as the inhumane detention of former prime minister Imran Khan, calling on Pakistan to take immediate and effective action to address reports of the 73-year-old’s undignified and degrading detention conditions.
