ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Monday, directed that all cases related to meetings with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan be consolidated and heard by a larger bench.
A single bench of IHC comprising Acting Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar issued the directions while hearing a petition from Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, who sought the consolidation of cases related to the meetings of Imran Khan.
The jail superintendent moved the court through his counsel Advocate Naveed Malik and adopted the stance that meeting SOPs had already been settled in an intra-court appeal, yet multiple benches were handling similar petitions.
He maintained that the superintendent, responsible for thousands of inmates, had to appear before the IHC five days a week, making case consolidation essential for efficiency.
The petitioner complained of multiple pending petitions related to Khan’s visitation rights and conflicting judgments by the courts on the said issue. He contended, “In the interest of judicial consistency it is imperative that all related cases listed be consolidated before a single or larger bench to ensure uniform adjudication and effective enforcement of judicial directives.”
“The failure to grant this petition would result in irreparable harm to the applicant and compromise the efficient administration of prison affairs,” said Anjum.
Adiala Jail Superintendent Anjum highlighted that Khan was being accommodated as per the relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed in March 2024, and was allowed to meet lawyers, family and friends on two designated days in the week.
He added that the former PM was also allowed to hold a WhatsApp call with his sons from time to time on humanitarian grounds and was also benefiting from all the privileges available to him under Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978.
He further said that the SOPs were later amended in November 2024 wherein the petitioner, the superintendent, was required to get the names of the visitors from Khan himself — all of the conditions which were in fact complied with by the authorities.
The petition stated, “Under Article 5 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, all executive and judicial authorities bear an inviolable duty to uphold the Constitution and statutory law.”
“The pendency of multiple similar petitions regarding Respondent No.I’s visitation rights before different benches of the IHC and the issuance of conflicting judgments has created operational difficulties and uncertainty for the prison administration,” maintained the petitioner.
Therefore, he prayed that the related cases be transferred to a single bench or a larger bench of this court to ensure uniformity adjudication and the effective implementation of judicial orders in the interest of justice.
Later, the IHC bench accepted the petition and directed for consolidation of the cases concerned and the formation of a larger bench.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
