Imran Khan’s Sister Files Contempt Petition Over Jail Visit Restrictions in Pakistan

Imran Khan’s sister on Friday filed a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the Adiala Jail superintendent and others for not being allowed to meet Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister. Aleema Khan filed the petition in the presence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The petition referred to the IHC’s March 24 order, in which the court had reinstated the twice-a-week meeting schedule for the 73-year-old, who has been languishing in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since August 2023. It said Aleema sought the initiation of contempt of court proceedings “on account of the willful non-implementation of the orders passed by this honourable court, particularly with respect to the authorities’ failure to allow” her meetings with Khan.

It added that despite directions for allowing visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays, “the respondents did not comply with or implement the same”.The petition stated that Aleema had “remained deeply concerned about the well-being, legal rights and humane treatment of her brother during his ongoing incarceration”. Those named in the petition include Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, Saddar Beroni police station SHO Raja Aizaz Azeem, Federal Interior Secretary Caption (retd) Muhammad Khurram Agha and Punjab Home Department Secretary Noorul Amin. Both Aleema and Afridi were part of the 16-hour long sit-in that began on Thursday and ended early Friday when they were not allowed to meet Khan.

Meanwhile, after failing to meet the chief justice of the IHC, Afridi said that his party would not allow the parliament to hold its session. “We received a message from the chief justice that I cannot meet you, we have decided that neither the National Assembly nor the Senate will be allowed to hold a session today,” he was quoted as saying by Dunya News TV. Local media showed PTI lawmakers raising slogans in the Senate against the continued incarceration of Khan.

Afridi also said that next Tuesday, they will gather outside the high court and Adiala Jail. There were rumours about the deteriorating health of the former prime minister but authorities rejected the concerns and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry told the parliament on Thursday that Khan was doing well and “enjoying facilities like personal chef which are not available to any other prisoner”.