Islamabad, Sep 16 (IANS): Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sisters were once again denied a meeting with him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, in violation of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders, local media reported on Wednesday.
Advocate Awais Younas Chaudhry said Imran Khan’s sisters and six lawyers reached outside the prison to meet him, however, they were once again denied a meeting with him, Pakistan-based daily Dawn reported.
“The sisters waited there even after 6:30 pm, but they were not informed about the approval of the meeting. The IHC has ordered that meetings of the family and lawyers with Imran Khan be arranged on Tuesdays and meetings of party leaders on Thursdays, but the court orders are being violated,” Dawn quoted Chaudhry as saying.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, said that courts have not been hearing plea petitions of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for the past few months.
Aleema Khan said, “If justice is not to be found from the courts, then what will people do if they don’t take to the streets? Nobody is getting justice; it is not only Imran Khan. This will impact every citizen of Pakistan. Courts are giving judgments after receiving orders from higher-ups. People are not getting justice…Judge Sarfaraz Dogar has not been hearing the bail plea of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the Al-Qadir case for 20 months, which every law says should be heard and granted bail, and a hearing has not taken place in the Toshakhana case for nine months.”
In response to a question, Aleema Khan said the constitutional court had been set up unconstitutionally and was aimed at undermining the Supreme Court and keeping Imran Khan in prison. She emphasised that it was necessary for Pakistan’s Supreme Court to ensure its survival and integrity.
On September 3, Imran Khan’s sister, Uzma Khan, filed a second contempt of court plea in the Supreme Court over the non-implementation of the court’s August 18 order.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rawalpindi Central Jail (Adiala) Superintendent Sajid Baig, Punjab Inspector General of Prisons Mian Salik Jalal, Ministry of Interior Secretary Ahmed Sarwar Raza and Islamabad Capital Territory Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf have been named as respondents in the plea filed by Uzma Khan, another Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported.
The petition stated that the court’s August 18 orders allowing Imran Khan to speak to his sons virtually and meet his sisters weekly have not been implemented. In the petition, Uzma Khan stated that Imran Khan was not allowed to meet his sisters on Tuesday and has not spoken to his sons since March.
The petition alleged that no arrangements have been made to facilitate telephonic conversations between Imran Khan and his sons – Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan- twice a week, as per the orders issued by the court. The petition requested the court to take steps or issue directives to implement its August 18 order, especially related to meetings and phone conversations between Imran Khan and his family members, The Express Tribune reported.
Uzma Khan’s fresh petition in the Pakistani court comes after an earlier contempt case over the government’s non-implementation of the court’s August 18 order directing the transfer of Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for treatment.
On August 18, Pakistan’s Supreme Court had ordered the transfer of Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board and allowing him to meet his family members.
Despite the court’s order, the authorities took Imran Khan to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for treatment on August 21 and brought him back to Adiala jail after doctors said that he was “medically fit”.
