IHC dismisses prisoners’ pleas for private treatment, citing no legal right

In a detailed written order, the court held that while imprisonment restricts liberty, it does not create a right to every facility of choice. Justice Muhammad Asif noted that a prisoner has no legal right to be transferred to a private hospital of their choice, and that 'every technical facility cannot be declared a fundamental right'. The judgment clarified that the primary responsibility for treatment lies with government hospitals, and a transfer to a private facility can only be considered by authorities if treatment is not possible within the public system. The petitions were filed by inmates Owais Altaf, Muhammad Ilyas Khan, and Muhammad Ismail Hussain.