The court warns that the prison inspector can be forcibly produced if he fails to appear at the next hearing
Former First Lady Bushra Bibi. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig and warned that he could be produced forcibly if he fails to appear at the next hearing.
The order came amid the proceedings of a petition seeking access for Bushra Bibi to a personal doctor and permission to visit family. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir expressed concern over the absence of the superintendent despite earlier court orders.
The court had earlier ordered Baig on May 4 to decide within two days an application filed by Bushra Bibi’s daughter regarding medical access and family visit and meet in person on May 6.
During the hearing, Islamabad’s Attorney General Naveed Hayat Malik, who appeared in court for the first time since his appointment, requested more time, arguing that the case was not urgent. However, the petitioner’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja opposed the request, terming the matter as “urgent” and alleging that Bushra Bibi’s family had been denied visitation rights.
Raja told the court that the last family meeting took place on February 24 and claimed that even routine visits were not facilitated. He also criticized what he described as decisions being made “over the phone”.
The attorney general maintained that Bushra Bibi, as a convicted prisoner, was treated in accordance with prison rules, and said records of previous meetings could be produced. A tense exchange ensued, prompting the court to intervene and order that the case not be dictated.
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Noting continued non-compliance with its orders, the court again summoned the superintendent to appear at the next hearing. It also ordered that Bushra Bibi’s daughter be present and sought detailed reports on her medical condition and prison visits.
The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday.
Imran and Bushra Bibi remain incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. They were sentenced on 20 December 2025 to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case, which relates to allegations that the couple illegally kept a Bulgari jewelery set gifted by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Bushra Bibi was moved back to Adiala prison on April 17 after a crucial eye operation in Rawalpindi, as concerns over her health continue to ripple through political circles. According to prison officials, ophthalmologists diagnosed retinal detachment, a condition that requires immediate intervention.
She was shifted to a private hospital on the evening of April 30, where she underwent pre-operative tests and subsequently consented to surgery. The procedure was performed by Professor Dr. Nadeem Qureshi along with a medical panel after which she was discharged after an overnight stay and returned to custody.
Concerns about her condition had already grown after a document dated March 28 surfaced online indicating that a doctor at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences had examined her and noted a “history of blurred vision and a black spot in the right eye for the past 11 days”.
