Safdar Meets Imran, Bushra at Adiala After Seven Months
The Safdar Adiala meeting took place on Monday after a gap of seven months, when Barrister Salman Safdar met Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi at Adiala jail. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes and was arranged by the jail authorities at 4:30pm.
Safdar shared the news in a post on X on Monday. He said the session came after multiple requests. It was his first meeting with Imran in seven months and his first meeting with Bushra Bibi in 11 months.
The lawyer said the session was insufficient to cover all cases and legal matters. He added that Imran and Bushra Bibi told him about their health and the conditions in which they were being kept in prison. Both also conveyed fresh instructions on certain legal matters and ongoing cases. Safdar did not provide further details about those instructions.
Safdar Adiala meeting: why access has been contested
Imran has been in custody since August 2023. He is serving a sentence in the £190 million corruption case and faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act linked to protests on 9 May 2023. He and Bushra Bibi remain incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. They were sentenced on 20 December 2025 to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case, which concerns allegations that the couple unlawfully retained a Bulgari jewellery set gifted by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
The PTI has consistently protested and demanded that the authorities allow Imran’s weekly meetings with his friends, relatives, and legal team. Access to Adiala jail has therefore become a recurring political issue, not only a legal one.
Prison conditions at Adiala have drawn attention before. Feature Pakistan has reported on complaints by Adiala jail prisoners about food. The jail also holds other high-profile prisoners, and questions about meetings, medical care, and family access surface regularly.
Court orders behind the meeting
Several court orders frame the access question. On 2 September, the Islamabad High Court directed jail authorities to ensure meaningful human interaction, family access, exercise, reading material, and other facilities for Imran and Bushra Bibi. The court held that lawful incarceration did not authorise the avoidable deprivation of human dignity.
In August, the Supreme Court ordered that Imran be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for treatment. It also directed the government to arrange weekly meetings between him and his family. On 18 June, the Islamabad High Court had directed Islamabad’s advocate general to ensure a meeting within seven days between Imran, Bushra Bibi, and their legal counsel, to facilitate legal formalities and appeals against their conviction in the £190 million reference case.
Safdar said the Adiala jail authorities had facilitated Monday’s meeting in compliance with court orders. His last meeting with Imran for legal consultation on the £190 million case took place on 9 April.
The courts have also dealt with Bushra Bibi’s legal position separately. Feature Pakistan has reported that the Federal Constitutional Court rejected a plea to suspend Bushra Bibi’s sentence. That decision sits alongside the access orders, and it shows how the couple’s cases continue to move through different courts at the same time.
Other Adiala-related cases have also reached the courts. Feature Pakistan has covered court warrants upheld against KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in Islamabad and family visits arranged for detained relatives in another case. Prison transfers remain a live issue too, as shown by reporting on the transfer of prisoners to the new federal prison in Islamabad.
What the meeting does and does not settle
Monday’s meeting answers one question: whether Safdar could meet his clients at all. After seven months without a meeting with Imran, and 11 months without one with Bushra Bibi, the 40-minute session restores a basic channel between lawyer and clients.
It does not settle the wider dispute. Safdar himself said the time was insufficient to cover all cases and legal matters. Weekly meetings ordered by the courts have not become routine, and the PTI continues to press for regular access for family, friends, and the legal team.
The next test is whether further meetings follow promptly. If Monday’s session leads to a regular schedule, the access dispute may ease. If it remains a one-off after months of requests, the dispute will return to the courts and to public debate.
Frequently asked questions
Who met Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi at Adiala jail?
Barrister Salman Safdar met Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi at Adiala jail on Monday. The meeting was arranged by the jail authorities at 4:30pm and lasted about 40 minutes.
How long had it been since the last meeting?
Safdar said it was his first meeting with Imran in seven months and his first meeting with Bushra Bibi in 11 months. His previous meeting with Imran for legal consultation on the £190 million case took place on 9 April.
What did Safdar say about the meeting?
He said the session was insufficient to cover all cases and legal matters. He added that Imran and Bushra Bibi told him about their health and prison conditions, and conveyed fresh instructions on certain legal matters and ongoing cases.
What have the courts ordered on meetings?
The Islamabad High Court directed on 2 September that jail authorities ensure meaningful human interaction, family access, exercise, and reading material. The Supreme Court ordered in August that Imran be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for treatment and that weekly family meetings be arranged.
Why does access to Imran matter legally?
Imran faces multiple cases, including the £190 million corruption case, Anti-Terrorism Act trials linked to the 9 May 2023 protests, and the Toshakhana-II case. His legal team needs regular meetings to prepare appeals and handle ongoing proceedings.
