Lawyers of convicted former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday filed an application, calling for moving him to an 'A-Class' cell at the Attock Jail.
Imran Khan was brought to the Attock Jail on Saturday to serve his three-year prison term for deliberately filing false asset affidavits to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conceal his earnings from the sale of gifts retained from the Toshakhana at a fraction of their original value. However, he was said to be kept in a 'C-Class' jail cell, though he was provided facilities of B-Class.
On Tuesday, Imran's lawyer Naeem Haider Panjhotha submitted an application to the superintendent at the Attock Jail, demanding that his client should be shifted to an 'A-Class' jail cell.
"Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi has served as prime minister of Pakistan, a graduate of Oxford University, United Kingdom, and former National Cricket Team Captain and in terms of rule 243 read with 248 of the Pakistan Prison Rules (PPR), the applicant is entitled to the A-Class facilities," he argued.
Panjhotha further contended that Imran was due to be interned at the Adiala Jail, but for "reason yet to be known", he has been shifted to the Attock Jail, where he has "not been accorded his due rights".
He added that it has yet to be seen if Imran can be kept at the Attock jail as per the law and urged that the PTI chief should be shifted to Adiala Jail, where A-Class facilities are available.
The lawyer further alleged that Imran had been denied visitation rights by his family, lawyers, doctors and political allies.
He submitted a list of family members for visitation along with lawyers, political allies and the name of his physician Dr Faisal Sultan.
Lawyers to launch legal challenge
Meanwhile, Imran's lawyers and party members were keen on launching legal challenges against his three year-sentence for graft that has ruled him out of contesting national elections.
Petitions were being filed in the Islamabad and Lahore High Courts, seeking power of attorney for the jailed former premier, which would allow his lawyers to challenge his conviction and even seek post-arrest bail.
A petition has also been filed requesting that Imran be held in an 'A-class' cell, more comfortable than other quarters and usually reserved for VIP inmates such as former prime ministers.
In good spirits
A spokesperson for Imran, meanwhile, has stated that the party chief is in good spirits despite the tough conditions in jail.
Imran's lawyer managed to meet him at the Attock Jail on Monday, a century-old jail on the outskirts of historical Attock, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of Islamabad. The lawyer had to obtain a power of attorney so that his team could press ahead with a series of legal challenges.
The lawyer, spokesperson Raoof Hasan said, found Imran held in "deplorable conditions" which are "not fit for any human".
Despite that, Hasan said that Imran remains in good spirits and with high morale.
Hasan narrated that Imran had asked his supporters to believe in him and that he would never compromise on his principles.
The spokesperson added that Imran's jail cell had a mattress and just enough space for a prayer mat, little daylight, and a fan but no air conditioning.
Once the formalities for a power of attorney are complete, Imran's lawyers would be able to challenge his conviction apart from seeking bail from his current incarceration.
"We're hopeful that we will be able to secure bail, and the decision will be suspended and the disqualification revoked," said Hasan.
Muted protests
The last time he was arrested, street protests had erupted nationwide, and attacks were mounted on state institutions. That prompted a crackdown which saw most of Imran's senior leadership and thousands of supporters in jail.
Following Saturday's arrests, however, the party has planned to hold smaller protests. But even by those standards, the protests by PTI have been meek and muted.
In Lahore, a few dozen lawyers and PTI supporters gathered outside the High Court to protest against his conviction.
In Gujranwala, a demonstration by a dozen or so lawyers was broken up by police, while in Muzaffarabad, around a hundred party workers rallied.
In Faisalabad, around a dozen lawyers gathered for a protest. But they evaporated as soon as a squad of police along with a prison van emerged.
Imran Khan was brought to the Attock Jail on Saturday to serve his three-year prison term for deliberately filing false asset affidavits to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conceal his earnings from the sale of gifts retained from the Toshakhana at a fraction of their original value. However, he was said to be kept in a 'C-Class' jail cell, though he was provided facilities of B-Class.
On Tuesday, Imran's lawyer Naeem Haider Panjhotha submitted an application to the superintendent at the Attock Jail, demanding that his client should be shifted to an 'A-Class' jail cell.
"Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi has served as prime minister of Pakistan, a graduate of Oxford University, United Kingdom, and former National Cricket Team Captain and in terms of rule 243 read with 248 of the Pakistan Prison Rules (PPR), the applicant is entitled to the A-Class facilities," he argued.
Panjhotha further contended that Imran was due to be interned at the Adiala Jail, but for "reason yet to be known", he has been shifted to the Attock Jail, where he has "not been accorded his due rights".
He added that it has yet to be seen if Imran can be kept at the Attock jail as per the law and urged that the PTI chief should be shifted to Adiala Jail, where A-Class facilities are available.
The lawyer further alleged that Imran had been denied visitation rights by his family, lawyers, doctors and political allies.
He submitted a list of family members for visitation along with lawyers, political allies and the name of his physician Dr Faisal Sultan.
Lawyers to launch legal challenge
Meanwhile, Imran's lawyers and party members were keen on launching legal challenges against his three year-sentence for graft that has ruled him out of contesting national elections.
Petitions were being filed in the Islamabad and Lahore High Courts, seeking power of attorney for the jailed former premier, which would allow his lawyers to challenge his conviction and even seek post-arrest bail.
A petition has also been filed requesting that Imran be held in an 'A-class' cell, more comfortable than other quarters and usually reserved for VIP inmates such as former prime ministers.
In good spirits
A spokesperson for Imran, meanwhile, has stated that the party chief is in good spirits despite the tough conditions in jail.
Imran's lawyer managed to meet him at the Attock Jail on Monday, a century-old jail on the outskirts of historical Attock, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of Islamabad. The lawyer had to obtain a power of attorney so that his team could press ahead with a series of legal challenges.
The lawyer, spokesperson Raoof Hasan said, found Imran held in "deplorable conditions" which are "not fit for any human".
Despite that, Hasan said that Imran remains in good spirits and with high morale.
Hasan narrated that Imran had asked his supporters to believe in him and that he would never compromise on his principles.
The spokesperson added that Imran's jail cell had a mattress and just enough space for a prayer mat, little daylight, and a fan but no air conditioning.
Once the formalities for a power of attorney are complete, Imran's lawyers would be able to challenge his conviction apart from seeking bail from his current incarceration.
"We're hopeful that we will be able to secure bail, and the decision will be suspended and the disqualification revoked," said Hasan.
Muted protests
The last time he was arrested, street protests had erupted nationwide, and attacks were mounted on state institutions. That prompted a crackdown which saw most of Imran's senior leadership and thousands of supporters in jail.
Following Saturday's arrests, however, the party has planned to hold smaller protests. But even by those standards, the protests by PTI have been meek and muted.
In Lahore, a few dozen lawyers and PTI supporters gathered outside the High Court to protest against his conviction.
In Gujranwala, a demonstration by a dozen or so lawyers was broken up by police, while in Muzaffarabad, around a hundred party workers rallied.
In Faisalabad, around a dozen lawyers gathered for a protest. But they evaporated as soon as a squad of police along with a prison van emerged.