Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder Imran Khan. Photo: Reuters/file
ISLAMABAD:
The PTI on Friday urged the federal government to facilitate a meeting with the party’s founder, sparking a debate and protest from opposition lawmakers in the Senate over the issue.
During the session chaired by Sherry Rehman, lawmakers raised the issue of excessive and unsupervised use of social media apps by children in Pakistan. The chairman proposes that a committee be set up to look into the matter.
At the beginning of the session, the House observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the gas leak explosion in Islamabad. Also during the session, newly elected PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali was sworn in.
PTI Senator Ali Zafar raised the issue of denial of jail meetings with Imran, claiming that he represents the party’s founder and questioned why a meeting had not been allowed by the government.
“The court has no involvement; this is a decision of the prison authorities, which operate under the government. This is political vendetta,” he said. PTI Senator Falak Naz Chitrali added that the PTI founder is being kept in solitary confinement. PTI members staged a protest over the issue.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar replied that the Superintendent of Prisons has the authority to allow visits based on the behavior of the prisoner. He added that the Adiala Jail comes under the Punjab Government and therefore the Federal Government cannot issue directives in this regard.
The Law Minister categorically rejected the allegation that the PTI founder was in solitary confinement. He said Imran is in good health, receives meals of his choice and has access to all necessary facilities.
Separately, a notice was tabled in the House highlighting the excessive and unsupervised use of social media apps by children. Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry described the issue as “extremely important” and said it warranted discussion at the national level.
The chairman said that the case involves several ministries, so it cannot be referred to the House’s IT committee alone. She suggested that a special committee be set up with input from the Ministry of Law to look into the issue due to its sensitive nature.
