Imran Khan’s possible shift to Bani Gala jail proposed

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been behind bars for two years and now various reports are coming out regarding the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has offered that PTI founder Imran Khan can be shifted from Adiala Jail to his residence in Bani Gala, if the party makes a formal written request. The move comes at a time when the former prime minister is in detention amid growing debate over his imprisonment and conditions.

He said that the shift would enable PTI leaders and Imran Khan’s family to meet him daily. He added that we are ready to make Bani Gala a sub-jail where Khan Sahib could also play Ludo and other games with the pilgrims. Chaudhry stressed that although Khan cannot be released, the shift could reduce the pressure on the 8,000 prisoners in Adiala Jail.

The offer was made with cautious interest by the PTI, with senior leader Asad Qaiser telling Dawn that the party could consider the proposal if the government showed seriousness. He stressed that Imran Khan had already spent more than two years in jail and was legally eligible for bail, urging the government to allow him to meet his family as a goodwill gesture.

This is not the first time that the Bani Gala residence has been used as a temporary jail. In January 2024, Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi was sent there after serving a 14-year sentence in the Toshakhana case, only to be later accused of being poisoned and sent back to Adiala Jail by a court order in May 2024.

The sensational proposal is likely to spark a heated debate on Pakistan’s political landscape, as the PTI mulls its next move amid growing public attention on the former prime minister’s imprisonment.