Islamabad

A fresh political slugfest has begun in Pakistan after the government released photographs of the cell provided to the country’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Adiala jail in order to refute the leader’s claim that he has been put in a ‘death cell’ and solitary confinement while serving the ongoing sentence.

The federal government submitted pictures of the facilities provided to Imran Khan in the Rawalpindi jail during a hearing of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment. They showed that Khan’s room has a cooler, an LED television, a bed and a study table. Several other photographs of Khan’s dedicated kitchen, a corridor to walk and two exercise machines were also submitted.

During earlier court proceedings, which he attended via a video link, the former PM had stated that he had been put in solitary confinement. In a written interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan, Khan also stated that he was put in a death cell.

The man who has fought for the well-being of the whole nation is being kept in such miserable conditions. Imran Khan has lived all his life with a royal status and has been blessed with everything. Yet, he is forced to spend his time in such despicable conditions in jail. He is suffering for us, the people of Pakistan, said Shandana Gulzar, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

Pictures of Imran Khan’s room show that the distance between one wall to the other is only about 10 steps. This is a man who has given his everything to Pakistan.