The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday restored incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s visitation rights twice a week.
The IHC administration had constituted a three-member larger bench — headed by newly appointed Acting Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar — to hear all 26 petitions related to the visitation rights and jail conditions of Imran.
The bench, led by Justice Dogar and including Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan, heard the petition.
All 26 petitions — including the contempt of court applications against Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum — were transferred to the larger bench on the Adiala Jail official’s request, which cited logistical challenges in appearing before multiple benches.
The hearing
During today’s hearing, Imran’s counsel Zaheer Abbas said that the PTI founder was scheduled to meet his family and lawyers on Tuesday and his friends on Thursday.
“As per SOPs [standard operating procedures], our meeting was not held on March 20,” Abbas said.
Justice Dogar observed that this was a small matter, which had been settled in the intra-court appeal.
“As per SOPs, our meeting on Thursday is not being held,” PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja reiterated.
“The SOPs for Tuesday and Thursday meetings were fixed in the appeal,” Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir noted.
During the hearing, Advocate Naveed Malik representing the jail superintendent argued that the meetings were being held twice a week until December up to Imran and Bushra Bibi’s conviction in January.
“The status of the founder of PTI has changed after being convicted in jail,” he said.
He further said that the two meetings were held on Tuesday instead of two days because of security threats.
“According to the jail rules, the superintendent of Adiala Jail has the authority [to schedule the meetings accordingly],” he added.
Lawyer Naveed Malik alleged that the PTI leaders misused the privilege of the meetings and made political statements outside Adiala jail.
“After the meeting, they come outside the jail and make political statements — this is a violation,” he said.
Acting IHC CJ Dogar questioned Malik, “You are saying that, instead of holding two meetings for two days, you are holding two meetings in one day?”
Meanwhile, Lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat contended that “all these things were settled in the appeal”.
“Salman Akram Raja is the coordinator, we will listen to him,” the acting chief justice remarked, adding that “every person comes with a request to meet [Imran] in jail”.
Malik reiterated that PTI leaders used the meetings for “political purposes”, adding that 98 applications had been disposed of on the topic.
“If you had implemented it, 98 applications would not have been filed,” Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir retorted.
“What is the need for media talk after jail meeting? Just have the meeting and leave,” Justice Dogar remarked. “We take an undertaking from them that they will not talk to the media after 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 told Lawyer Naveed Malik.
Barrister Naveed Malik stated that they could arrange meetings twice a week if they provided assurances “that they will not come out and have political discussions”.
However, he added that the jail authorities request was “that only one day be kept for the meetings”.
Justice Dogar remarked that senior counsel Salman Akram Raja had assured them that there would be no political discussions outside Adiala jail after the meetings.
Senior counsel Salman Akram Raja contended that there were no meetings held after October.
The court ordered that only the coordinator of the incarcerated PTI founder would name those allowed to meet, adding that “not everyone can come with a request for a meeting”.
It added that there would no media talks after the meetings.
With regards to arranging a meeting between Imran and his children, Justice Dogar ordered them to “apply to the trial court”.
