Lahore: Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan who was convicted of corruption, will be held in a deplorable, inaccessible prison that houses hardened criminals and lacks the amenities that political prisoners are entitled to, according to his party and attorneys on Monday.

The opulent lifestyle that Khan, the charismatic cricketer-turned-politician, has long been associated with in Pakistan and abroad as a sporting icon and national hero, is a dramatic departure from that lifestyle.

Khan was supposed to be transferred to Rawalpindi's Adiala jail after his conviction on Saturday, according to an arrest warrant viewed by Reuters, but he was instead taken to District Jail Attock, which is located about 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Islamabad.

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Because this jail lacks "A-class" or "B-class" facilities, which are higher class cells with more amenities for inmates, Khan feels like he was put there on purpose, according to one of Khan's lawyers, Nameem Panjutha, who met with him on Monday.

According to the facility's website, Attock jail, which was founded in 1905 during British colonial rule of the subcontinent, is spread across 67 acres with a built-up area of 17 acres. According to the government website, it is overcrowded, housing more than 800 prisoners against a capacity of around 530.

In Pakistan's 76-year history, no elected premier has served a full term, Attock jail is not as prominent or central as other larger prisons like Adiala jail, where several former prime ministers have been detained.

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Panjutha claimed that Khan was being held in a small cell, but Gulzar Butt, a retired jailer who worked at Attock, told Reuters that the prison's cells have recently been upgraded to all be the same size, measuring 10 feet by 12 feet (3x3.7 metres).

The prison is quiet, but officials and witnesses claim that since Khan was transferred there, security has been tightened. According to Khan's attorneys, there are testing conditions inside.

He claimed there were flies during the day and insects at night in the small room's open bathroom, Panjutha said. He added that Khan was spending his time praying and reading the Qur'an, the Muslim holy book, in a region known for high temperatures and humidity during the summer and monsoon seasons.

He was found guilty of abusing his position as premier for the period of 2018 to 2022 by purchasing and disposing of gifts that had been given to him during trips abroad and were valued at more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($490,000).

Butt, a retired jailor, claimed that in the jail, inmates were divided into A, B, or C categories. Provincial authorities could give instructions to the jail staff if a prisoner was thought to be important.

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The superintendent would then assign unarmed guards for the prisoner's safety, give him a separate cell, permit his family to provide him with food, and give him a few other prisoners with good records to serve him. Most famous people take B class, according to Butt.

After receiving approval from the provincial authorities, a prisoner may also, upon special request, pay for the installation of an air conditioner in their cell at their own expense. They would also be responsible for paying the electricity bill, Butt added.
According to Khan's legal team, they are requesting better terms for the former prime minister.