IHC queries ban on Imran’s visitation

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) questioned the statement provided by the Adiala Jail superintendent to the court, asserting that jail regulations did not allow for online meetings between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his legal representatives.

Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan of the IHC raised concerns regarding the denial of this facility, juxtaposing it with the announcement made by the Punjab chief minister regarding online meetings at Kot Lakhpat Jail.

He questioned the inconsistency, highlighting the discrepancy between the Jail Manual and its implementation across different facilities.

Justice Khan took up the request of the PTI founder for meeting with his lawyers. State lawyer Abdur Rehman requested time to seek instructions from the government on the matter. Meanwhile, another lawyer, Zainab Janjua, emphasized the need for alignment between the Adiala Jail superintendent's stance and that of the Punjab government.

However, the judge declined the request, saying there was no need for instructions, adding that the court would settle one point: whether or not political discussion could be held in jail meeting. If the court came to conclusion that political talks could take place, then amendment would have to be made.

Read PTI lawyers meet Imran after IHC relief

PTI founder’s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat told the court that they had been stopped one and a half kilometres away from where they walked to the Adiala Jail. Justice Khan remarked that everyone knew what this was all about. He added that if the orders to jail authorities stopped, this would end.

Justice Khan said that if 200 senior civil officers refused to obey illegal orders, the system will be fixed. However, he quipped that if the court sent 200 civil servants to jail, even then there would be improvement. The judge said if 200-300 officers give sacrifice for the ideology, things would improve.

The judge pointed out that the jail superintendent had said meetings with the prisoners had been stopped from March 12 because of threat alerts, saying that he did not see this order as bona fide. He pointed out that there would be a big parade on March 23 (today), yet there was no threat to it.

The court urged the advocate general to clarify whether the Punjab chief minister's announcement or the jail authorities' directive was illegal, setting the stage for further deliberation on March 29.

Meanwhile, a local court of Islamabad ordered the production of the PTI founder Imran Khan and senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the court on April 20 in a case related to vandalism registered against them in Karachi Company Police Station.

During the hearing, PTI lawyers, Sardar Mohammad Kharji Khan, Naeem Haider Panjotha and others appeared in the court of Civil Judge Mureed Abbas. The court ordered the production of the two and adjourned further hearing till April 20.