Sharif to keep mum8217; for a better jail

Sharif is also understood to have written a letter to the court, demanding these facilities.

According to Pakistani prison rules, prisoners with education and economic or political status are given improved conditions.

But the court has made further improvements to this to include a cell with a television set, bathroom, access to newspapers and radio and an attendant.

The jail authorities provide similar facilities to other political detainees like Asif Zardari, the detained husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Sharif also will be allowed to eat food his family brings him. His lawyers had complained that he was being restricted to a diet of vegetables.

Earlier attempts to bring in food had been disallowed by the jail authorities on orders from the court.

Also today, the anti-terrorist court banned Sharif, his co-defendants and the army-led government from making statements related to the case.

Anti-terrorist court Judge Rehmat Jaffery said political statements are banned because 8220;they are harmful to the proceedings8221;. He also outlawed speculative reporting and statements attacking the character or conduct of anyone involved in the case.

Both sides agreed to the ban. Attorney General Raja Quereshi said it 8220;does not mean the case will not be open and free. We are going to invite everyone: diplomats and the press, to attend.8221;

Sharif and seven others, including his brother, Shahbaz, are charged with treason and hijacking in the case, charges that can carry the death penalty or life in prison. Sharif has said he is innocent. Formal charges are scheduled to be filed in court on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the family of deposed Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif hurled stones at the police deployed at their Model Town residence in Lahore when security personnel tried to search a vehicle in which two of Sharif8217;s daughters 8212; Aisha and Javaria 8212; were travelling.

The police said they had strict orders to check every vehicle leaving or entering the residence of the Sharif family. However, the former chief minister8217;s son Shahbaz said Sunday8217;s police action was unwarranted as the military government had allowed female members of the family to move around freely, The News reported.