UN Special Rapporteur says conditions fall far below minimum international standards
Former first lady Bushra Bibi. PHOTO: FILE
A United Nations expert has warned that the condition of Bushra Bibi Khan, the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, who is under detention, could pose a serious risk to her physical and mental well-being, urging 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 each in prison in the Toshakhana-II case.
“The state has an obligation to protect Mrs. Khan’s health and ensure conditions of detention compatible with human dignity,” said Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, in a statement issued on Wednesday.
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According to the rapporteur, Bushra Bibi, who is held in Adiala Jail, is reportedly confined to a small, poorly ventilated cell described as filthy, overheated and infested with insects and rodents. Frequent power outages allegedly leave the cell in complete darkness, while she is said to be provided with unclean drinking water and food rendered inedible due to excessive use of chilli powder.
The statement said these conditions have led to a reported weight loss of around 15 kilograms, recurring infections, fainting spells and untreated medical complications, including a tooth abscess and a stomach ulcer, which Edwards said stemmed from alleged food contamination during an earlier period of detention.
“Such conditions fall far below minimum international 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 detention conditions must take into account the age, sex and health circumstances of detainees.
The UN expert further noted, reports indicating that Bushra Bibi is frequently subjected to near-total isolation for more than 22 hours a day, at times for periods exceeding ten days. During these intervals, she is reportedly denied access to exercise, reading material, legal counsel, family visits or her personal physicians.
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“Prolonged isolation of this kind heightens psychological distress and impedes access to essential safeguards,” she added. “Coupled with untreated medical needs, it poses an acute risk.”
“The authorities must ensure Mrs. Khan has the possibility 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 jail conditions was submitted to the Islamabad High Court, stating that she receives regular health monitoring and is housed in a separate, spacious room within the facility.
The report stated that she undergoes medical check-ups twice daily and has been provided with basic furnishings, including a mattress, chair, table and bookshelf, along with adequate lighting, fan facilities and a room cooler for summer. An LCD television has also been made available in the room.
It further said that a separate kitchen has been arranged to allow her to prepare her own meals, which are examined by the prison medical officer before being served.
Earlier this month, Edwards had also raised serious concerns over what she described as the inhumane detention of former prime minister Imran Khan, urging Pakistan to take immediate and effective action to address reports of the 73-year-old’s undignified and degrading conditions of confinement.
