The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday allowed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and lawyers to visit former prime minister Imran Khan and hold election meetings inside Adiala Jail where he is incarcerated, Aaj News reported.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC heard the PTI petition seeking permission to hold election meetings inside the jail on tickets for the general elections scheduled to take place on February 8, 2024.

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During the proceedings, the Additional Attorney General and the Superintendent of Adiala Jail appeared in court to oppose the request.

The court granted permission for Barrister Gohar, the applicant, to consult with Imran Khan in the supervision of the Superintendent of Adiala Jail. It emphasised that permission for consultation for the elections is “a fundamental right”, and caretaker governments should be impartial in the polls, the judge remarked.

Justice Aurangzeb said the Attorney General’s office represents the caretaker government, and both the Advocate General and the Additional Attorney General should remain impartial.

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“A terrible system is being run under the caretaker government where even consultation on the elections is not allowed,” the judge passed the remarks, questioning if the caretaker setup wanted to derail the polls.