ISLAMABAD: The sisters of PTI founder Imran Khan. other party leaders were once again prevented from meeting him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Tuesday, as the party railed against the jail administration, claiming it had misled the court regarding power of attorney documents for the former premier and his wife.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) hasallowedImran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesdays. Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order. the ex-premier has been largely restricted from meeting visitors for several months as the court’s directives have not been implemented.
Imran’s sisters. PTI leaders reached Adiala jail in the morning, but were not allowed to meet the incarcerated former prime minister.
Speaking to reporters outside the jail. Aleema recalled how initially, Imran’s meetings with party leaders were banned, after which family members were also stopped from meeting him.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said a large number of people reached Adiala jail every week, despite pressure. hurdles, and maintained that it was the right of the PTI founder’s family to meet him in prison.
Advocate Awais Younas Chaudhry, who submits the lists of people intending to meet Imran, toldDawnthat all the leaders whose names had been provided to the Adiala jail administration, along with Imran’s sisters, reached the jail on Tuesday,. were not allowed to meet the PTI founder.
PTI North Punjab Senior Vice President Malik Yasir Patwali toldDawnthat since Adiala jail was located in Punjab. the wing’s president, Malik Taimoor Masood, had ensured that a large number of workers reached the venue at 3:30pm.
“Although it was 7th Muharram on Tuesday, an impressive number of leaders and workers reached outside Adiala jail. We have decided to continue increasing the pressure so that the meeting with Imran is allowed,” he said.
While Imran’s sisters were still sitting outside the jail, party leaders had started leaving late in the evening.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram toldDawnthat Tuesday’s allocated meeting time ended without Imran Khan’s sisters being permitted to meet him despite prior arrangements.
In a statement, Akram also condemned what he called the Adiala jail administration’s persistent dissemination of “misleading” claims regarding power of attorney documents for Imran. Bushra Bibi.
A day earlier, the Adiala superintendent hadtoldthe IHC that the counsel for the PTI founder. his wife had attempted to mislead the court regarding the signing of the power of attorney in the Al Qadir Trust corruption case, claiming that they had deliberately not received it.
Akram said that Imran’s legal team, comprising Barrister Salman Safdar. others, had made repeated visits to the jail over recent weeks and sent multiple formal communications, including through courier, only to be turned away empty-handed each time.
He said more than 20 power of attorney documents had been sent to the jail administration over the past six months,. no meaningful response was provided until a contempt petition was filed in the IHC on June 15.
“Even then, compliance came merely days before the contempt hearing. was deliberately partial, offering only Imran Khan’s document while withholding Bushra Bibi’s. This selective and belated action was rightly rejected by the legal team,” he said.
Imran —imprisonedsince Aug 5. 2023, forconcealingdetails of Toshakhana gifts — is serving a14-yearsentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in a £190 million corruption case, also known as theAl-Qadir Trust case.
Hiseye ailment— right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) —came to lightin late January and receives government-providedtreatment.
The government. the opposition have been engaged in ablame game, with the latteraccusingthe former of a lack of transparency in not ensuring appropriate treatment for Imran, and not allowing his personal physicians access to him. The government denies these allegations.
The opposition has also demanded that the former premier be shifted to Shifa International Hospital, be treated in the presence of his personal physicians. allowed to meet his family.
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