The PTI has decided to form a five-member committee to oversee which individuals would meet imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, it emerged on Sunday.

Imran was arrested in August 2023 in a series of legal cases, which he claims were “politically motivated”. Initially kept at Attock Jail, he has been incarcerated at Adiala Jail since Sept 26, 2023.

The decision comes amid widespread internal divisions within the PTI on various matters — including meetings with Imran, awarding of party tickets, internal accountability, and a proposed legislation over mines and minerals.

According to a statement posted by PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram on X, a meeting of the party’s political committee was held on Saturday in which several important matters, including the country’s overall situation, were discussed.

“It was unanimously decided in the meeting that a five-member committee would be formed over [the matter of] meeting [PTI] chairman Imran Khan,” Akram announced.

He added that the committee would compile the list of names of those supposed to meet Imran every Tuesday and Thursday.

“As far as possible, the approval of the list for the next meeting will be taken from chairman Imran Khan in the meeting prior to it,” Akram highlighted.

Explaining the process further, Akram said the list of names would be sent to the jail authorities through one of the three focal persons nominated by Imran — PTI interim chairman Gohar Ali Khan, Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Advocate Intezar Panjhuta.

The information secretary underscored that this was in accordance with earlier orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) as well as the PTI founder’s directives.

“It was clarified that no individual other than those on the list will meet chairman Imran Khan. Anyone doing so would be considered violating the party discipline and the established rules,” the statement noted.

In case the Adiala administration stopped any of the individuals on the list from meeting Imran, the rest of those persons could meet Imran “in protest” of the action, Akram said.

He further said a contempt of court petition would be filed immediately against the jail officials in such a case.

Notably, the statement added, government officials from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — where the PTI is in power — would be exempted from adhering to the committee’s list.

They would be “free to meet chairman Imran Khan on any day and at any time”, Akram stated, conveying the political committee’s decision.

Disputes over jail meetings

Last month, the IHC had reinstated the twice-a-week meeting schedule for Imran, while restricting media interactions following these meetings.

Acting Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar — heading a three-member bench hearing 26 petitions related to Imran’s visitation rights and jail conditions — questioned the necessity of media briefings following the meetings.

Earlier this week, the Adiala administration had stopped Imran’s sister Aleema Khan and other family members from meeting the ex-premier, which also resulted in a clash with police. However, the jail officials allowed a group of five lawyers — including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Senator Ali Zafar — to meet the PTI chief.

This resulted in Raja and Gohar seemingly being at loggerheads over the question of access to Imran.

Raja, who was also not allowed to meet Imran, said that as long as Imran’s sisters were not allowed to meet him, other leaders should also refrain from meeting the former prime minister.

Gohar then took the secretary general to task, questioning his meeting last month when Aleema and others were denied a meeting.

On Thursday, the PTI leadership was barred from meeting its party fou­nder by Adiala jail authorities for the second time this week, despite the IHC order.

Party leaders have previously lamented they do not have access to Imran, whereas the lawyers who are allowed to meet him allegedly give either partial messages or twist messages according to their interests.