Dawn refutes claims of Imran Khan requesting better prison conditions

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 7 July 2024 |  JP Staff Reporter

Daily Dawn has denied allegations that Imran Khan sought better treatment in jail through his lawyer. The publication clarified that the letter was initiated by the Judicial Activism Panel and was not a request from Khan himself.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Daily Dawn has labeled as "untrue and inaccurate" a story claiming that former jailed Prime Minister Imran Khan requested President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for better facilities in Adiala prison.

The story, published by The Express Tribune and broadcast by Capital TV, alleges that the request was made through a letter by Khan's counsel Azhar Siddique, who heads the Judicial Activism Panel (JAP), a public interest forum based in Lahore.

According to Dawn, the letter's contents do not indicate that it was written by or at the request or instructions of the PTI founder. "The letter called for a report on Imran's living conditions, a list of individuals who met Imran, information on whether he was placed in solitary confinement, as well as for him to be provided all those facilities he was entitled to under the law," Dawn reported.

Siddique clarified that the letter was initiated by JAP and not by the jailed PTI founder. "Dawn.com has determined that the reports of Imran or the PTI sending the letter to state functionaries seeking an upgrade in his prison facilities are untrue and inaccurate. As confirmed by advocate Siddique himself, Imran made no such request or had anything to do with the letter, which was initiated on its own by JAP," Dawn said.

The letter was sent by JAP on July 5.

Photo: AFP