ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday restored Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s jail meetings twice a week but strictly banned any media talks by family and friends after such meetings.
A larger bench, headed by Acting Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Azam Khan issued the directions after hearing more than 20 cases regarding meeting with Imran Khan.
According to the court’s decision, only individuals nominated by PTI founder’s coordinator, Salman Akram Raja, will be allowed to meet him. Furthermore, the court has strictly prohibited any media interaction following the meetings.
The IHC order said that meetings would be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays inside the jail, but visitors will not be allowed to make media statements afterwards. The court also directed the petitioners to approach the trial court regarding PTI founder’s request for telephonic conversations with his children.
During the hearing, lawyers representing the petitioners and jail authorities, including Adiala Jail Superintendent’s counsel Naveed Hayat Malik appeared before the court. The PTI founder’s lawyer, Zaheer Abbas, argued that despite submitting requests according to standard operating procedures (SOPs), jail authorities had not facilitated the meetings. He highlighted that even the scheduled meeting on March 20 was not arranged.
Justice Arbab pointed out that in the intra-court appeal; SOPs had already been set, allowing meetings twice a week. The prison authorities, represented by lawyer Naveed Malik, stated that due to security concerns, they had facilitated two meetings on a single day instead of allowing separate meetings on different days.
The PTI’s lawyer informed the court that the agreed schedule allowed family and lawyers to meet on Tuesdays, while friends visited on Thursdays.
The jail superintendent’s counsel contended that until December, meetings were conducted under the same SOPs, but the status changed in January due to security threats, adding that PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, had been convicted since January, altering their jail status.
He further informed the court that security concerns had prompted authorities to merge the two meetings into a single day instead of allowing separate sessions on different days.
Naveed Malik insisted that under jail rules, the Adiala Jail superintendent has the authority to regulate such meetings. He also argued that the PTI founder has been misusing jail meetings for political statements, saying that after the meetings, he or his visitors would make public statements outside the jail, violating regulations.
In response, the court noted that meeting arrangements should not be used for political purposes and questioned why visitors needed to address the media after their meetings.
Meanwhile, lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat contended that all these things were settled in the appeal.
Justice Dogar remarked that Salman Akram Raja is the coordinator and they would listen to him.
Malik reiterated that PTI leaders used the meetings for “political purposes”, adding that 98 applications had been disposed of on the topic.
Justice Arbab said that if you had implemented it, 98 applications would not have been filed.
The acting CJ remarked that what is the need for media talk after jail meeting? Just have the meeting and leave. He added that they take an undertaking from them that they will not talk to the media after jail meeting.
Naveed Malik stated that they could arrange meetings twice a week if they give assurances that they would not come out and have political discussions. However, he added that the jail authorities request was that only one day be kept for the meetings.
Justice Dogar remarked that senior counsel Salman Akram Raja had assured them that there would be no political discussions outside Adiala jail after the meetings.
The court ordered that only the coordinator of the PTI founder would name those allowed to meet, adding that not everyone can come with a request for a meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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