IHC forms commission to probe PTI lawyers' denial of access to Adiala Jail

A three-member commission has been appointed to review access issues faced by PTI lawyers at Adiala Jail.

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The Islamabad High Court (IHS) has established a commission to investigate the denial of entry to PTI lawyers at Adiala Jail.

The decision was announced following a petition filed by the legal team representing the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan.

Imran’s legal team argued that the denial of access violated his fundamental right to legal representation, regardless of whether the trial was held in jail.

The IHC echoed these concerns, describing them as a serious matter that impacted the right to justice.

The court noted the conflicting statements between the jail authorities and the lawyers, which necessitated an impartial review to ensure fairness.

In a written judgment issued by Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan, the court emphasised that it is crucial for the judiciary to appoint its "eyes and ears" to review the matter independently.

The commission, comprising three lawyers – Zopash Khan, Mubeen Awan, and Zohaib Gondal – has been tasked with overseeing the situation.

Each commissioner will visit Adiala Jail on court hearing days to ensure smooth access for the lawyers.

The commission will ensure that jail authorities facilitate security checks within 10 minutes and allow lawyers to drive their vehicles up to the inner gate of the jail.

The court also ordered that any issues faced during the visit should be immediately reported to the judiciary.

The court further clarified that lawyers representing under-trial prisoners must be allowed to meet their clients in private, ensuring that their conversations are not monitored.

The jail superintendent must also provide a sworn statement regarding using audio recording devices within the prison.

Additionally, the ruling specifies that these orders will apply to all legal cases involving jail trials, not just the case concerning Imran Khan.

Each visit by a local commissioner will be compensated with Rs10,000, and lawyers will be permitted to bring up to three assistants to the jail during their visits.

This ruling comes after a series of complaints regarding restricted access to Imran Khan’s legal team, raising concerns about transparency in the trial process.

Previously, the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday warned Adiala Jail authorities that it would move the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) trial of Imran Khan to another location if his lawyers continued to be denied access.

The court further ordered that any evidence recorded in the trial without the presence of Imran’s legal team would be deemed insignificant.