The Islamabad High Court has directed prison authorities not to keep former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in solitary confinement. The court also ordered officials to allow the couple to meet each other in accordance with prison regulations.

The directives were issued on Tuesday by Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are currently serving prison sentences at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi following convictions in corruption-related cases. Separate petitions challenging their prison conditions were filed by Khan’s sister Aleema Khan and Bushra Bibi’s daughter Mubashra Khawar Maneka.

The court further ordered prison authorities to facilitate family visits for Imran Khan and arrange telephone communication with his two sons. Officials were also instructed to provide him with newspapers, books, necessary medical treatment, and other facilities permitted under prison regulations.

The superintendent of Adiala Jail has been directed to ensure compliance with the court’s orders and submit an implementation report within 15 days.

Imran Khan, 73, has been in custody since August 2023. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), maintains that the cases against him are politically motivated. His family and supporters have repeatedly alleged that authorities have restricted his access to family members and medical care, claims that the Pakistani government denies.

The dispute over Khan’s medical treatment remains ongoing. Last month, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that he be transferred to Shifa International Hospital for treatment. However, authorities instead took him to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for examinations before returning him to prison.

His family later challenged that decision, arguing it violated the Supreme Court’s earlier directive. Pakistani authorities defended the move, citing security concerns.

A contempt-of-court petition related to the hospital transfer is scheduled for hearing on September 16, when a three-member bench will also review pending cases concerning Khan’s health and family visitation rights.