The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday granted permission for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and lawyers to visit former Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently detained in Adiala jail, and conduct election meetings in preparation for the 2024 general elections.
The order was passed by Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb on a petition filed by Imran seeking approval for meetings with party members Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar Khan, senators Aurangzeb Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan, and Ishtiaq Meherban, among others, to strategize ahead of the elections. The plea also requested the court to instruct the Adiala Jail superintendent to ensure privacy for Imran during consultations with his legal team.
With the release of the poll schedule, election-related activities have commenced within major political parties. The election program is in full swing, with the deadline for filing nomination papers concluding on Sunday. Returning officers will examine the nomination papers from December 25 to December 30.
PTI Chairman Gohar Khan emphasized that the decision to allot tickets would still be made by Imran. Barrister Ali Zafar added that PTI workers in jail would be given priority in ticket allocation.
In the Islamabad High Court, Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan, PTI lawyers, and the Adiala Jail superintendent appeared. PTI counsel Shoaib Shaheen mentioned the need for talks before allocating 700 tickets, but the AGP objected to the maintainability of the plea.
Justice Aurangzeb expressed displeasure at Awan’s arguments and referred to Justice Athar Minallah’s additional note in the cypher case. In the note, Justice Minallah highlighted the duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan and the government to ensure a genuine election and avoid the perception of oppression against any political party.
Referring to these remarks, Justice Aurangzeb criticized the AGP and advocate general for not remaining impartial while representing the caretaker government. He emphasized the need for a neutral stance during elections and granted permission for PTI lawyers to hold consultations with Imran in jail. The court also ordered a supervised meeting between Gohar and the former premier under the jail superintendent’s supervision, affirming that permission for election consultations is a fundamental right.
