The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on petitions filed by three Adiala jail prisoners seeking treatment at private hospitals and permission to contact their families through WhatsApp calls.
Justice Muhammad Asif reserved the judgement after hearing arguments from the prisoners’ counsel, government law officers and jail authorities.
The court’s decision will determine whether the prisoners can obtain private medical treatment and use WhatsApp to communicate with their relatives.
The petitions were filed by Owais Altaf, Ilyas Khan and Muhammad Ismail, who contend that the medical care they require is not available through government hospitals.
They have also sought permission to speak to family members through WhatsApp calls.
The petitions were filed after an Aug 18 Supreme Court order directing authorities to move PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical examination and treatment.
The prisoners’ counsel argued that the relief granted in the case should not be limited to Imran Khan.
During the hearing, the lawyer said that one of the petitioners was suffering from a serious bleeding disorder and had developed internal bleeding in the large intestine.
The condition could become life-threatening, he said, adding that the prisoner had spent about six months in custody and had been taken to hospital several times.
The counsel argued that prisoners should be shifted to private hospitals when the required treatment cannot be provided in jail or through government hospitals.
He maintained that prisoners remained citizens and were entitled to equal treatment under the law.
Muhammad Ismail, an undertrial prisone has been incarcerated for around six months and suffers from a heart ailment, according to his lawyer.
The lawyer also alleged that the Adiala jail superintendent rejected a request for treatment without consulting a doctor.
Punjab Advocate General Barrister Zafarullah opposed the request to transfer the prisoners to private hospitals, saying that authorities would follow the law and prison rules.
Justice Asif observed that prisoners’ rights could not be ignored because they were behind bars and cautioned authorities against compromising a prisoner’s health.
The court also considered the request for WhatsApp communication. Justice Asif questioned what provision of law prevented prisoners from speaking to their families.
Barrister Zafarullah said prison rules allowed calls to people living in Pakistan, while exceptional arrangements could be considered when an illness could not be treated at a government hospital.
