On Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) returned twice weekly visiting rights for imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan.
Under newly appointed Acting Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar, the IHC government had assembled a three-member bigger bench to review all 26 petitions concerning Imran’s visitation privileges and jail conditions.
Lead by Justice Dogar and comprising Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan, the bench heard the plea.
Following Adiala Jail official’s request, which cited logistical difficulties in appearing before many benches, all 26 petitions—including the contempt of court applications against Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum—were moved to the bigger bench.
The Hearing
Imran’s counsel Zaheer Abbas claimed during today’s court that the PTI founder was supposed to see friends on Thursday and his family and lawyers on Tuesday.
“Our meeting was not scheduled on March 20, per SOPs [standard operating procedures],” Abbas remarked.
This was a minor question, noted Justice Dogar, and the intra-court appeal had settled it.
PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja said, “as per SOPs, our meeting on Thursday is not being held.”
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir pointed out that the appeal fixed the SOPs for Tuesday and Thursday meetings.
Advocate Navved Malik, representing the jail administrator, said during the court that meetings were scheduled twice a week until December up till Imran and Bushra Bibi’s conviction in January.
“After being imprisoned and convicted, the position of PTI’s founder has changed,” he remarked.
He noted however that security concerns led the two sessions to take place on Tuesday rather than two days.
“Based on Adiala Jail’s policies, the superintendent has the [power to schedule the meetings appropriately],” he said.
Lawyer Naveed Malik claimed that PTI officials exploited their privilege of the meetings and made political remarks outside Adiala jail.
“After the meeting, they come outside the jail and make political statements — this is a violation,” he remarked.
Acting IHC CJ Dogar asked Malik, “You are saying that you are holding two meetings in one day instead of two meetings for two days?”
Lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat argued, meantime, that “all these things were settled in the appeal.”
“Salman Akram Raja is the coordinator; we will listen to him; every person comes with a request to meet [Imran] in jail,” the acting chief justice said.
Malik said that 98 applications had been disposed of on the subject and emphasized that PTI officials utilized the sessions for “political purposes.”
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir shot out, “if you had implemented it, 98 applications would not have been filed.”
“After a jail conference, what is the necessity for media coverage? Just have the conference and head off. Justice Dogar said. “We take an undertaking from them that they will not interact with the media following jail meeting.”
“It is a small matter, instead of one day, they want to meet for two days — think about it,” the acting chief justice informed Lawyer Naveed Malik.
Barrister Naveed Malik said they may set up twice-weekly sessions provided they could guarantee “that they will not come out and have political discussions.”
He did, however, note that the jail authorities asked for “that only one day be kept for the meetings”.
Senior attorney Salman Akram Raja had told them, Justice Dogar said, that following the meetings there would be no political talks outside Adiala jail.
Senior attorney Salman Akram Raja said that after October no meetings took place.
“Not everyone can come with a request for a meeting,” the court said, ordering that only the coordinator of the imprisoned PTI founder name those entitled to meet.
It also said that following the sessions there will not be any media conferences.
Regarding setting up a meeting between Imran and his kids, Justice Dogar advised them to “apply to the trial court.”
