• Larger bench to take up 11 petitions, including one by KP CM Afridi
• Notices issued to Islamabad and Punjab officials, jail administration
ISLAMABAD: To resolve controversies surrounding visitation to incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, a larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up all 11 petitions filed by PTI leaders — including one by newly elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi — on Thursday (tomorrow).
The IHC registrar’s office has issued notices to the advocates general of Islamabad and Punjab, the Punjab prosecutor general, the Punjab inspector general of police, and the inspector general of prisons. The court has also summoned the Women Medical Officer and Superintendent of Adiala Jail for the same date.
The bench is expected to address not only the issues surrounding visitation rights for the PTI founder but also the question of jurisdiction over Adiala Jail — a longstanding point of contention between the Islamabad and Punjab administrations.
On Monday, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir of the IHC overruled objections raised by the registrar’s office on Chief Minister Afridi’s petition seeking permission to meet Imran Khan in jail. Advocate Ali Bukhari appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while the plea was filed through Advocate General Shah Faisal.
The petition requested the court’s intervention to allow a meeting between the provincial chief executive and the PTI founder to discuss governance matters and cabinet formation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The registrar’s office had earlier objected, noting that similar petitions had already been decided and that a prescribed procedure existed for such visits. However, Advocate Bukhari argued that “fresh legal grounds” existed, since the cabinet had not yet been constituted and consultation with Mr Khan was essential for administrative functioning.
Justice Tahir, after hearing the arguments, dismissed the objections and issued notices to the interior secretary, inspector general of police, and Superintendent Adiala Jail, directing them to submit their replies by October 23.
Earlier, on March 25, a three-judge larger bench of the IHC — comprising Acting Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfaraz Dogar, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Mohammad Azam Khan — had reinstated the twice-a-week visitation schedule for Imran Khan, while barring visitors from issuing media statements after meetings.
The bench had ruled that only individuals approved by Mr Khan’s coordinator, Salman Akram Raja, could meet him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and advised the PTI founder to approach the trial court for permission to speak to his children via telephone.
The IHC administration has now fixed the matter before the same bench to consolidate and hear all petitions concerning Mr Khan’s visitation rights and jail conditions.
Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2025
