ISLAMABAD: PTI and sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan have filed contempt petitions against Adiala jail authorities for denying them meetings with him despite court orders.

Mr Khan’s sisters, Aleema and Uzma, alongside PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Aliya Hamza and others appeared at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking action against jail authorities on Friday.

Ms Aleema, through her lawyer Advocate Ali Bukhari, submitted a contempt petition requesting proceedings against the Punjab home secretary and the Adiala jail superintendent. The petition asserted that continued denial of meetings with the PTI founder was a “blatant violation of court orders”.

Last month, the IHC had allowed Mr Khan to meet his family, lawyers and party members twice a week - on Tuesday and Thursday.

Petition filed in IHC says continued denial of meetings with PTI founder a “blatant violation of court orders”

According to the petition, the court had earlier allowed the PTI founder to meet his legal team, family members and selected visitors. A comprehensive list of approved individuals was also submitted, it added. Despite this, jail authorities allegedly barred access to Mr Khan on multiple occasions. The petition stated that access to legal counsel and family was Mr Khan’s fundamental right, particularly as a former prime minister facing trial in several cases. The petition claimed that even scheduled visits were not allowed, which was in violation of the jail manual.

Earlier, a similar contempt petition was submitted by Mr Ayub and Mr Faraz, but that has yet to be scheduled for a hearing by the court.

Speaking to media outside the IHC, Ms Aleema criticised jail authorities for not allowing the lawyers to meet Mr Khan.

She stated Tuesday had been designated for legal consultations regarding the PTI founder’s ongoing cases.

“The court has clearly issued an order for a list of lawyers [to meet Mr Khan]. Why are they being stopped?” she questioned, wondering if this was an “attempt to sabotage the PTI founder’s legal proceedings”. She expressed frustration over the “deliberate interference” in the judicial process. Ms Aleema also highlighted the importance of legal consultations, saying the meetings with lawyers should take precedence over other visits.

“We will stand outside Adiala jail and insist that no one else meets him until his lawyers are allowed to.”

She mentioned that senior lawyer Salman Safdar had gone to Adiala jail on the direction of the Supreme Court for case consultations, but the jail staff “ignored the chief justice’s orders”.

“It’s not just our insult, it’s the court’s insult,” she added.

Ms Aleema reminded the media that a three-member bench had issued the order for legal meetings and that its implementation was being hindered, raising concerns about the integrity of the judicial process.

Mr Ayub, the opposition leader, made startling allegations about law enforcement practices and the treatment of political leaders. He revealed that despite a decision by a three-member bench of the IHC, PTI leaders had been unable to meet Mr Khan for the past three months.

He alleged that legal orders were being “blatantly ignored by the authorities”.

Citing Article 7 of the Constitution, which defines the state and its organs, Mr Ayub said, “Laws are not being implemented” in Pakistan.

He accused the state apparatus of failing to uphold the constitutional rights of people and operating outside legal boundaries. Describing a personal ordeal, Mr Ayub claimed he was stopped at multiple checkpoints on his way to Adiala jail.

In an effort to bypass surveillance, Mr Ayub claimed he had disguised himself and used a motorcycle to reach another checkpoint. However, he claimed he was arrested without a warrant despite being on bail. He further alleged that he and other PTI leaders were taken in a van to Chakri, around 40km away from Adiala jail, where they were given refreshments. They were then dropped near their vehicles on the motorway, Mr Ayub claimed, calling his ordeal “bizarre and unlawful”.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2025