ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday allowed visitors to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and barred them from post-meeting media interaction.
A IHC three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Muhammad Azam heard the petitions regarding Imran Khan’s jail meetings.
During the proceedings, the Adiala Jail Superintendent’s counsel informed the court that the jail meetings were being conducted under the same Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) until December but the status changed in January due to the security threats.
The counsel stated that as per the jail manual, the meetings with the PTI founder were allowed on Tuesdays but after January, his status changed from an under-trial prisoner to a convicted prisoner.
Acting Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar remarked that several individuals were filing petitions to seek meetings in jail. In response, the jail superintendent’s counsel argued that these meetings were being politically exploited.
The IHC Chief Justice questioned the need for media talks after jail meetings, stating that the visitors should simply meet the prisoner and leave. He suggested obtaining an undertaking from the visitors to refrain from making media statements after meeting the PTI founder.
The Islamabad High Court ruled that Imran Khan’s meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays would resume, with only those individuals allowed to meet him whose names are provided by his coordinator. Additionally, the court strictly prohibited any media interaction after the meetings.
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