Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Sher Afzal Marwat challenges ban on jail meetings with party founder Imran Khan
Mar 13, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 13 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Sher Afzal Marwat, has challenged the prohibition on meetings with the party's founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail, ARY News reported on Wednesday.
The Punjab home department yesterday prohibited contact with the PTI founder in Adiala Jail, citing security concerns.
Marwat argued in his appeal to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the provincial home department lacked the authority to prohibit meetings in jail. He has urged the court to overturn the prohibition order. He stated that all legislators will protest if the ban on meetings with the party's leader is not lifted, according to ARY News.
The Punjab home department has banned meetings for two weeks, according to reports, and media coverage is also barred in front of Adiala Jail's gate no. 5.
The security guards indicated that media coverage was not permitted and requested that media teams remain 2 kilometres away from the jail. It should be mentioned that the Adiala Jail administration had allocated Tuesdays and Thursdays for meetings with the PTI founder on court orders, but the meetings have now been barred for two weeks, according to ARY News.
Last week, in a joint operation, the Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and police foiled an alleged attempt to attack Adiala jail and apprehended three individuals in possession of explosives and the jail layout.
After Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan was barred for two-weeks from holding meetings at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, where he is currently serving sentence, the Punjab government has clarified that the restrictions have been put in place due to security concerns.
Punjab's Information Minister Azma Bukhari said, "This move wasn't made to take away any facility from him (Imran Khan).
There is a serious threat alert, which is under investigation."
Bukhari, who recently assumed office after her party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, came into power, said her party was not seeking revenge from the former prime minister, reported Dawn.
She said the fresh restrictions were imposed because, a few days ago, the law enforcers had arrested terrorists who possessed a map of the jail in which Khan is currently imprisoned.