ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) allowed four PTI lawyers on Thursday to meet with party founder Imran Khan at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard the petition against the two-week ban on meetings with Adiala inmates including Imran, where the jail superintendent informed the court about receiving several requests for meetings with the former premier.
He added that they had orders to allow six people apart from the lawyers to meet Imran and said it was impossible for them to allow six people daily in a jail that houses seven thousand prisoners. Justice Tahir, expressing his displeasure, said the jail superintendent had been giving new excuses during every hearing. “If you do not follow court orders, why should we not initiate contempt proceedings against you?”
In response, the jail official informed the judge that he “does follow court orders” and showed the notification by the Punjab Home Department.
“We had allowed the (PTI counsels) to meet on your terms and we already have contempt pleas pend-ing against you,” replied the judge.
As the hearing resumed after a short break, PTI counsel Sher Afzal Marwat informed the court that they had designed a mechanism with the jail superintendent. The judge, while keeping the petition on hold, directed Marwat to appoint a focal person and make SOPs for meetings with the PTI founder.
Marwat told the judge that a group of four people was to meet Imran today and on next Tuesday.
The prison officer informed the judge that they had directions from the provincial home department to not allow meetings with any jail inmate, to which the judge remarked “they (Home Department) cannot direct you, it is your discretion”.
The court then ordered four PTI lawyers to meet with Imran in jail today.
The Punjab Home Department on Tuesday imposed a two-week ban on prisoner visitations as well as media coverage at Adiala Jail, which houses high-profile political figures including Imran.
In orders issued to the Punjab police chief, the department maintained that the decision was made in light of a ‘threat alert’ issued for the prison by the law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The department’s Internal Security Wing reported that terrorists – backed by anti-state groups — wanted to target the prison to spread chaos in the country. Therefore, it added that it was imperative for the department to take the necessary measures to avoid such incidents.
The PTI condemned the two-week ban imposed on all visits, meetings, and interviews within the Adi-ala Jail premises and expressed concerns about threats to the life of the former premier.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan criticised the imposition of the blanket restriction for two weeks over the “excuse” that there was a terror threat.
He deemed the prohibition on meeting the party’s founding chairman as unlawful. He lamented the abrupt imposition of a ban, preventing any individuals, including family members, from meeting Imran.
“We demand that before imposing this, his [Imran’s] family members and lawyers should have been notified,” Gohar added.
He urged the authorities to provide updates on the PTI founding chairman’s health and security to both the party leadership and his family, while also calling for a transparent inquiry into the reasons behind the ban.
The PTI leaders, who were denied a meeting with Imran due to the ban, lashed out at the Punjab gov-ernment. –Agencies
