Ministers support restrictions on the jail meetings of PTI founders

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan is a convicted prisoner, according to Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and no prisoner may have an unsupervised meeting. A superintendent may call off a meeting under Rule 557 if it goes against the rules or presents a risk to public safety or order.

The law minister claimed that repeated allegations on the jail meetings of the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were false, while speaking at a press conference with Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. He pointed out that Adiala Jail is within Punjab’s authority and that jail meetings are strictly governed by the prison manual, whereas the Islamabad prison is not yet operating.

According to him, a prisoner is permitted to have one meeting each week with a maximum of six visitors under Rule 265. Inmates are only allowed to write one letter every week, and they are not allowed to discuss politics at meetings. Additionally, visitors are prohibited by the rules from making the talk public.

He cited previous instances, stating that Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were not permitted to meet even though they were housed in the same prison. None of their solicitors conducted post-meeting interviews, and they were only allowed to meet once a week under stringent obligations.

Tarar cited the PTI founder’s own previous statements made while serving as prime minister, claiming that he had said in public while visiting the United States that he would take supporters out of jail cells.

The PTI founder is a convicted prisoner in the £190 million mega corruption case, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. He called it an attempt to defame Pakistan abroad and chastised PTI leaders for informing Afghan and Indian media that the PTI founder’s life was in jeopardy.

Noting that “no other inmate has ever been given a bicycle in custody,” he claimed that the PTI founder has access to extra amenities in jail that no other prisoner in the nation’s history has.

Additionally, the minister said that all three of the PTI founder’s sisters were there on May 9 outside the Lahore Corps Commander House and that their attendance “has been proven.” According to him, jail regulations ban having political discussions with any detainee.

Uzma Khan’s meeting has been suspended because of reports that the PTI founder’s sisters discussed politics following their meetings, he added. Any attempt to disrupt public order outside the jail will be met with severe consequences, and anyone breaking jail regulations will be prohibited from meeting.