The PTI founder’s family and party have repeatedly accused jail authorities of “sabotaging” meetings with him
ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was on Thursday not allowed to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan despite a court order.
The Islamabad High Court directed the Adiala jail superintendent to implement an order on March 24 that reinstated the twice-weekly meeting schedule of former prime minister Imran Khan.
However, the jail authorities did not allow a meeting with the jailed Prime Minister, forcing the Chief Minister to leave Rawalpindi.
The directive came as a larger bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and including Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan, collectively took up all 11 petitions filed by PTI leaders regarding Imran’s jail visit. The former prime minister’s family and party have repeatedly accused prison authorities of “sabotaging” meetings with him.
During the hearing, the IHC directed Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, who was present during the hearing, to allow Imran’s jail meetings, as per the earlier order, while adhering to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
It directed the jail official to facilitate the meetings as per the list provided by PTI general secretary Salman Akram Raja, who also presented arguments before the bench.
Raja and Anjum also traded barbs during the hearing when the PTI leader claimed that “not even once” was the earlier IHC order implemented despite giving a list of names, while the prison official claimed that “regular meetings” were held but no list was received.
Petitions taken up by the bench included those of newly elected Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who attended the IHC hearing. Soon after the hearing, CM Afridi arrived at Adiala jail to meet Imran, but his convoy was stopped by the police at Dahgal checkpoint near the jail.
He staged a brief sit-in outside the prison demanding the implementation of high court directives to allow his meeting with the jailed party founder.
Addressing mediapersons outside the Adiala jail, CM Afridi said the refusal to implement a clear court order does not reflect his weakness but the “helplessness of the judiciary” itself.
“If court orders are not respected, it raises serious questions about the rule of law in the country,” he was quoted as saying.
The chief minister stressed that his visit was “purely constitutional and aimed at seeking guidance from his party leader on important policy issues related to governance” in KP, the statement added.
“For the last two years I have not met my leader. Yesterday’s meeting was important to take political direction and move forward in line with Imran Khan’s vision,” Afridi said.
PTI later posted a video on its X account of Afridi speaking to the media outside Adiala jail. Afridi said on the occasion that he would seek political guidance from Imran during their meeting.
“Nothing else is going to take place inside. I have to implement my leader’s policies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He might give me some good advice inside. [ ] There is nothing wrong with us wanting to meet our leader,” he added.
A subsequent post shared by PTI’s account showed Afridi, along with several others, sitting on the ground. The Post stated that they were not allowed to meet Imran despite court directives.
“A symbolic sit-in is coming,” it read.
According to a statement later issued by the KP CM Secretariat: “Despite the express permission of the court, the chief minister was not allowed to meet his party leader (Imran).”
The chief minister claimed that he had followed all legal and administrative channels – including communication with the Punjab Home Department, the federal government and the Chief Justice. [of Pakistan] – before approaching the Islamabad High Court.
“Whatever instructions come from Imran Khan, I will implement them in letter and spirit,” asserted CM Afridi. “No cabinet will be formed without the guidance of Imran Khan,” he confirmed.
Political conversations about prisoners
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the ruling of a single bench and reinstated the law banning political conversations with prisoners in jail. A three-judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar, delivered a reserved verdict.
The larger bench suspended the decision of the single bench, Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq, and reinstated the law banning political speech by prisoners in jail. The single-member bench had declared the law banning political speech by prisoners in jail invalid.
