Islamabad High Court restores Imran’s jail meetings twice a week

Imran Khan, the founder of the PTI, was granted permission to visit his jail twice a week by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday.

A three-member bigger bench, led by recently appointed Acting Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar, was established by the IHC administration to consider all 26 petitions pertaining to Imran’s visitation rights and incarceration circumstances.

The petition was considered by the bench, which was presided over by Justice Dogar and included Justices Muhammad Azam Khan and Arbab Muhammad Tahir.

The Adiala Jail official requested that all 26 petitions, including the contempt of court applications against Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, be moved to the larger bench, citing the practical difficulties of appearing before many benches.

Imran’s attorney, Zaheer Abbas, stated during today’s court that the PTI founder was expected to meet with his friends on Thursday and his family and attorneys on Tuesday.

“Our meeting was not held on March 20 in accordance with SOPs [standard operating procedures],” Abbas stated.

This was a minor issue that had been resolved in the intra-court appeal, Justice Dogar noted.

PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja reaffirmed, “Our meeting on Thursday is not being held in accordance with SOPs.”

According to Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, “the SOPs for Tuesday and Thursday meetings were fixed in the appeal.”

Advocate Naveed Malik, speaking on behalf of the jail superintendent, contended throughout the hearing that the meetings were taking place twice a week until December, until Imran and Bushra Bibi were found guilty in January.

“After being found guilty and imprisoned, the PTI founder’s status has changed,” he stated.

He added that due to security concerns, the two meetings were rescheduled for Tuesday rather than two days.

“The superintendent of Adiala Jail has the authority [to schedule the meetings accordingly] in accordance with the jail rules,” he continued.

Attorney Naveed Malik claimed that the PTI politicians made political remarks outside of Adiala jail and abused the privilege of the meetings.

“They make political statements outside the jail after the meeting, which is a violation,” he stated.

“You are saying that, instead of holding two meetings for two days, you are holding two meetings in one day?” asked Malik, acting IHC CJ Dogar.

Sher Afzal Marwat, a lawyer, argued that “all these things were settled in the appeal.”

“Everyone comes with a request to meet [Imran] in jail,” the acting chief justice said, adding, “Salman Akram Raja is the coordinator, we will listen to him.”

PTI leaders utilized the sessions for “political purposes,” Malik reaffirmed, adding that 98 applications had been rejected on the subject.

Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir responded, “98 applications would not have been filed if you had implemented it.”

Why should the media speak after a jail meeting? Justice Dogar said, “Just have the meeting and go.” “We get them to promise not to speak to the media following the jail meeting.”

The acting chief justice informed Lawyer Naveed Malik, “It is a small matter, instead of one day, they want to meet for two days — think about it.”

Barrister Naveed Malik said that if they gave guarantees “that they will not come out and have political discussions,” they could set up meetings twice a week.

He clarified, though, that the jail administration had asked “that only one day be kept for the meetings.”

According to Justice Dogar, senior attorney Salman Akram Raja promised them that following the meetings, there will be no political conversations outside of Adiala jail.

Salman Akram Raja, the senior counsel, said that no meetings took place after October.

Only the organizer of the imprisoned PTI founder may designate who is permitted to meet, the court ruled, noting that “not everyone can come with a request for a meeting.”

It further stated that following the meetings, there would be no media appearances.

Justice Dogar instructed them to “apply to the trial court” in order to set up a meeting between Imran and his kids.