PTI leaders alleged that the Jail authorities prohibited them from meeting Imran Khan.
They filed a petition in the court. The court announced Biweekly jail visits but without any media interaction about the meet-up with Imran Khan outside the jail.

Court restores biweekly visits for Imran Khan:

The Islamabad High Court ordered the biweekly meeting of PTI leaders with Imran Khan. However, the court has restricted the attendees that after their meeting, they are restricted to give media briefings about their interaction with Imran Khan outside the jail. Justice Sardar Mohammad Dogar, along with a three-judge bench, announced the decision. Justices Arbab Mohammad Tahir and Mohammad Azam Khan were also part of the bench.

Meeting guidelines and restrictions:

The court ordered that Imran Khan can meet with his leaders every Tuesday and Thursday. However, the court has given the authority to Salman Akram Raja to decide who will go to meet with Imran Khan in jail. In addition, the court also says to Imran if he wants to contact his children, he may seek permission from the trial court. The IHC made this decision to secure his right to visitation and maintain law and order and security concerns.

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PTI lawyers challenge restrictions:

PTI lawyers, including Salman Akram Raja and Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas, opposed the limitations on meetings. They argued that meetings were not being conducted as per established rules. Lawyer Zaheer Abbas pointed out that even a scheduled meeting on March 20 did not take place. The additional superintendent of Adiala Jail submitted a report explaining the situation.

Security concerns and the Court’s response:

Jail authorities informed the court that due to security issues, they limited the meetings of Imran Khan with his leaders. Advocate Naveed Malik, who is the representative of the jail superintendent, also stated that before December, Imran had biweekly meetings. The limited visitation happened in January due to security concerns.

Malik also claimed that these meetings were being used for political purposes. The court acknowledged the security risks but insisted that restrictions must not violate fundamental rights.

Judges demand compliance with rules:

Acting Chief Justice Dogar questioned the necessity of media statements after these meetings. He emphasized that the court would restore the biweekly schedule only if visitors agreed not to speak to the press. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir criticized jail authorities for not implementing past decisions. He noted that 98 applications had been filed regarding visitation rights, which should not have been necessary if the authorities had enforced previous rulings.

Court orders ban on media interactions:

The high court ordered an undertaking from PTI representatives to address security concerns. This agreement ensures that visitors will not engage with the media immediately after meetings. Acting Chief Justice Dogar is handling 26 petitions along with a three-member bench related to visitation rights and jail conditions. The decision aims to balance security concerns with the rights of the detained leader and his visitors.

PTI leader’s reaction over the court’s decision:

The PTI appears divided on the court ruling. PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram expressed satisfaction with the decision. He clarified that visitors are only restricted from speaking to the media outside the jail.

According to Akram, visitors can still hold press conferences elsewhere or share details on social media. Akram thinks that the verdict is in their favor because the PTI has been struggling to meet with Imran for the past 6 months. He said, “We are satisfied with the decision. Now, we can meet our leader without any hurdles.”

Asad Qaiser calls decision unconstitutional:

PTI leader Asad Qaiser disagreed with the ruling and called it unconstitutional. He argued that party members have the right to share meeting details with the public. Qaiser stated that PTI would discuss the matter internally and consult legal experts to decide whether to challenge the ruling. He said, “It is our constitutional right to meet Imran Khan and inform the masses.”

Next steps for PTI:

The IHC decision lit up the faces of some PTI leaders, while others seemed unhappy. PTI leaders may go to court to challenge the decision but after discussing the matter with other party members.