Inhume treatment of Imran

Almost four weeks have passed, a popular leader and the former Prime Minister of the country was behind bars. Despite the merit and demerit of the case and indictment by the court, the treatment met by the PTI Chairman was out rightly inhumane and unjustified. A convicted murderer has some fundamental rights in the death cell including availability of clean drinking water, healthy food, freedom of worship along with the right to see his loved ones, and relatives.

Media reports suggest, the PTI Chief was exempted from all those amenities, as a majority of visitors including a civil judge confirmed that the public leader was serving detention in miserable and unhygienic conditions. The grief-stricken sisters of the former Prime Minister complained at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that jail authorities did not arrange their meeting with Imran Khan and refused to obey court’s order. That did not happen for the first time during the short period of four weeks imprisonment.

The wind starts moving contrariwise, sun comes at half mast, friends becomes strangers and relatives turn unkind, it is tradition of history and a sign of downfall that the leaders face maltreatment of the minions and opponents enjoy helplessness of their adversaries. The country’s history is full of such regretful incidents that leaders had been imprisoned and hanged on fake charges, but, no leader ever thought about the severity of the situation and rotten luck until bluffed by his own fate. The state atrocities had gone behind all limits and the PTI leader has been particularly made realized by the previous government and its facilitators that no populism could ever break the system or work out above the state. Over the past few months, hundreds of cases had been registered against Mr. Khan, his close relatives including sisters and their families, PTI senior leadership, supporters and close associates that cast doubts and makes this audit and accountability exercise fallacious.

There was a little hope for improvident in the situation regarding the ongoing arrest and sue campaign against the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the caretaker setup took over charge of the country, however things still move with the same momentum and direction and no end visible so far. Yesterday, the IHC issued order for suspension of Imran’s imprisonment and bail in Toshakhana case but the government arrested him in an other case immediate after the release which not only portrays malicious intention but challenges the writ of the law and superiority of judiciary. Realistically, such type of mockery of the law and blatant denigration of the judicial system could not been seen in any other nation in the world.

Although, Khan’s custody might serve interest of some individuals or groups, however it could have worst effects for country’s politics and democracy. Khan’s lawyer and his wife have complained about his deteriorating health, losing weight and being made to live in filthy conditions. Khan’s photo with beard and wearing jail clothes was released by the authorities that might be warning to his followers, not to play with fire. It is a reality that Imran is one of the most popular stars of Pakistan since its inception in 1947, whether someone like it or not.

Every prison in Pakistan has written on the walls “hate the crime not the criminal”. Every prisoner at least deserves to be treated like humans. These rules are not for influential persons but all inmates have certain rights under the constitution of Pakistan and the global law that dictates the rights of prisoners of war, transnational criminals and terrorists. Stories of what happens in prisons in Pakistan doesn’t not need to be repeated on these pages but dealing a public leader in such a manner and advertising his disgrace makes no sense and earns a bad name to Pakistan. Let’s show some humanity and call a spade a spade. Nawaz Sharif, Saad Rafiq, Maryam Nawaz or Asif Ali Zardari none wore jail clothes and all of them had the best that a jail could offer. No need to show any leniency in legal battles against Khan, but state should at least treat him with respect and humanity in the custody.