Bar on Imran's visits after 'threat' to Adiala

Two-week ban on visitations follows ‘alert’ issued by LEAs, spy agencies

ISLAMABAD:

The Punjab home department on Tuesday imposed a two-week ban on prisoner visitations as well as media coverage at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, which houses high-profile political figures including PTI founding chairman and former premier Imran Khan.

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.

Sources said the department had ordered the Special Branch, Intelligence Bureau, and Prisons Department to conduct a security survey of the jail on Wednesday (today).

It has also directed the installation of barbed wire around the boundary wall and the screening of the prison premises and nearby areas by the bomb disposal squad.

As per the home department’s directives, government contractors and staff employed at the jail will also undergo a security clearance by police and Rangers along with mock emergency drills.

The ban will be applied to all the inmates of the jail, including former premier Imran, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and PTI President Parvez Elahi.

It has been learnt following the directives of the home department, Punjab IG Prisons Mian Farooq Nazir has issued orders to Adiala Jail Superintendent Asad Javed Warraich that until the completion of the security survey and clearance operation at the prison, visiting inmates would not be allowed.

The provincial prisons chief had also issued orders to ensure that the ban and instructions were strictly implemented.

Read Jail official tenders apology in contempt plea moved by Imran

Last week, the police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested three Afghan terrorists outside Adiala Jail and seized ammunition from their possession as well as a map of the prison.

Some time ago, two threatening calls were made to the official phone numbers of the prison and a case was registered in this connection.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan regretted the imposition of a “kind of blanket restriction” on visitations for two weeks.

He added that the authorities had carried out the move under the “excuse” of a terror threat, as he condemned the step.

Earlier in the day, the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) filed a contempt plea at the Islamabad High Court against the Adiala jail superintendent for denying its party chief and other members a meeting with the PTI founding chairman on Monday.

The plea was filed by the MWM Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.

Talking to the media after filing the plea, Nasir said that the jail authorities did not allow him to meet Imran despite a court order issued for this purpose on March 8.

He added that the prison officers made him wait from 9am to 4pm on March 11.

The MWM chief regretted that the situation in the country "was worse than that in a jungle".

“Even a jungle has more laws," he added.

Last month, several leaders of the PTI, including those elected in the February 8 general elections, were turned away by the Adiala jail as they reached there to meet with the party founding chairman.

The leaders said they had a court order for a meeting with Imran to discuss the prevailing situation and unfolding political developments in the country. However, the jail administration refused to obey these “court orders”.

The jail authorities allowed only five PTI leaders to meet with Imran  --Barrister Ali Zafar, Barrister Umair Niazi, Ali Bukhari, Shadab Jafari, and Ahmed Owais Advocate.

Those who were not allowed to meet Imran included PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, Chief Organiser Omar Ayub Khan, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, ex-Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister Sardar Qayyum Niazi, Atif Khan, Shahram Tarakai, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Seembia Tahir.

After he was not allowed to meet with Imran, Qaiser said major developments were taking place in the country and it was necessary for the senior PTI leadership to consult the party’s founding chairman.

“The people have given a major mandate to the PTI founding chairman," he added.

(With input from our correspondent in Islamabad)