Islamabad, Sep 2 (IANS) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sisters were once again not allowed to meet him at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The family of Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was also not allowed to meet her, local media reported on Wednesday.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticised jail authorities for not allowing the family members to meet party founder Imran Khan, and termed the action a severe violation of the orders of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court (IHC), Pakistan-based leading daily Dawn reported.
The PTI said that the denial of a meeting after judicial orders raises serious concerns about compliance with the orders of the superior judiciary. It urged relevant prison authorities to follow the judicial orders and ensure that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are allowed to meet their family members in accordance with the law.
PTI lawyer Advocate Awais Younas Chaudhry said that Imran Khan’s three sisters waited for the meeting from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Adiala Jail on Tuesday, Dawn reported. However, the jail authorities did not allow them to meet Imran Khan.
On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected a second application filed by Imran Khan’s sister requesting an early hearing of a contempt of court petition for the non-implementation of the court’s August 18 order directing the shifting of the PTI founder to Shifa International Hospital, Pakistan’s other daily, The Express Tribune, reported.
The court had also rejected a previous application requesting an early hearing of the case.
On August 18, the Supreme Court had ordered the transfer of Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment and directed the authorities to allow family members to meet him.
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”, The Express Tribune reported.
Khan has remained in prison since August 2023 after convictions that his party, PTI, has termed politically motivated. Since his ouster from office in 2022 through a no-confidence vote, Imran Khan has faced several cases, including allegations involving state gifts and an unlawful marriage case.
–IANS
akl/sd/