ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Thursday, issued notices to the Secretary Interior, Attorney General for Pakistan, in a case related to not holding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s meeting with his lawyers.
The court directed the Adiala Jail superintendent to appear before the court today (Friday).
A single bench of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, on Thursday, heard the petition moved by PTI’s lawyer Faisal Fareed, seeking contempt of court proceedings against Punjab home secretary and Adiala Jail superintendent for not allowing them to meet with Imran Khan.
The bench earlier ordered that Imran be produced before the court by 3pm, and be allowed to have a virtual meeting with his lawyers there. However, later the lawyers – Faisal Chaudhary, Salman Akram Raja, and Shoaib Shaheen were told to meet Imran Khan in Adiala Jail.
At the onset of the hearing, Adiala Jail Superintendent Ghafoor Anjum appeared before the court, along with the additional attorney general, and the state counsel.
Referring to the ban on prisoner meetings, Justice Ishaq asked that are you saying that the government can stop the process of providing justice with a single notification? The state counsel replied that since court hearings had not been taking place, Imran’s meetings had not been arranged either.
The judge noted that the petitioner had argued that a court order had been violated via a notification. He added that he is not saying whether the notification is correct or not; they will have to file a separate petition for that matter. He also said that however, denying a meeting despite court’s orders is violation of court orders.
At this, the state counsel informed about the ban on prisoner meetings by the Punjab government based on a law and order situation.
The bench questioned whether meetings with lawyers were also banned? He said that those who issued the notification also committed contempt of court. He added that if the Punjab government barred lawyers’ meetings then it was contempt of court.
Justice Ishaq said that the Interior Ministry should submit a report detailing what the security reasons were. The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that no lawyer has been allowed meetings at Adiala Jail since October 3.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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