ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said the court will issue “appropriate orders” in the petitions related to meetings of legal team with Imran Khan and provision of other facilities to him in jail.
He, on Friday, heard Imran Khan’s petitions seeking the IHC’s directions to transfer him from Attock district prison to Adiala Jail, allow him to meet with his legal team, and provide other facilities in prison.
In his petition, Khan’s counsel invoked the constitutional jurisdiction of this court for the transfer of his client from Attock Jail to Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi and for all the facilities as per his entitlement under the relevant law as well as his protection in the jail.
During the hearing, Imran’s lawyer Sher Afzal Khan Marwat informed the bench that they were not being allowed to meet Imran despite the court’s orders and requested the court to issue directives to allow the legal team to meet with the PTI chief in jail. He contended that there had been false accusations of causing disruptions by Khan’s lawyers at the Attock District Jail, where Imran is serving his prison term.
Justice Aamer said they had said this before and they would say it again that lawyers are allowed to hold meetings with Imran. The lawyer also complained before the judge that the attempts were made to arrest him despite the fact he had obtained interim bail.
Regarding transfer from Attock prison, the chief justice asked Assistant Advocate General (AAG) Punjab Rao Shaukat to provide clarification on whether the court had sentenced the PTI chief to Attock or Adiala jail. At that, he produced a letter related to the transfer of Khan to Attock Jail on behalf of the Punjab Government. He also read out the details of the reasons related to keeping Imran Khan in Attock Jail.
Justice Aamer asked the AAG whether the lawyers cannot meet the accused? The provincial government’s lawyer informed the court that a meeting between the PTI chief and his lawyer had already taken place on August 7 where the lawyer signed letters of attorney of the high courts and the Supreme Court.
The IHC CJ questioned whether the signing of legal documents is the only reason for which the lawyers are permitted to meet with the prisoner. He warned that failure to allow these meetings will be viewed as contempt of court. Rao said that they had granted permission for holding the meeting on August 7 but on August 8 and 9 they reached too late.
The counsel for the PTI chairman argued before the court that there are 180 cases registered against Imran and the legal team needed to take advice from him.
Justice Aamer said that the lawyers should be permitted to meet with the prisoner through proper channels. The PTI’s lawyer on the other hand objected to the Punjab government’s version, saying that they were fabricating the details. Marwat also argued that they needed to decide on the jail class within 48 hours which they failed to do so. He said that under what law did they transfer the PTI chief to Attack Jail? He also expressed reservations regarding the conditions under which Imran was being kept at the premises.
The lawyer of the Punjab government on the other hand maintained that the former premier was being provided all necessary facilities including medical care at the jail.
Justice Aamer remarked that there is the matter of meetings and facilities at the jail and they will issue appropriate orders in this regard.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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