The Islamabad High Court has reinstated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s jail meetings while imposing a strict ban on media interactions afterward.

The court ruled that only those approved by Imran Khan’s coordinator, Salman Akram Raja, would be permitted to meet him. The decision was issued by a larger bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Muhammad Azam.

During the hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Zaheer Abbas, argued that prison authorities were failing to comply with the agreed-upon SOPs. He highlighted that Khan was supposed to meet his legal team and family on Tuesdays and friends on Thursdays, but these scheduled meetings were not being facilitated, including on March 20.

The prison superintendent’s lawyer, Naveed Malik, stated that since Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted in January, their status as inmates had changed. He further argued that due to security threats, the authorities had decided to hold two meetings on a single day instead of allowing meetings on two separate days per week. Additionally, he alleged that these meetings were being misused for political purposes, as individuals would step outside the jail afterward and make political statements, which was against regulations.

Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar questioned why the court’s previous ruling allowing meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays was not being followed. Justice Arbab Tahir also remarked that had the prison authorities implemented the court’s orders, there wouldn’t have been 98 petitions filed on the matter.

Taking a firm stance, the court emphasized that if Imran Khan and his representatives refrain from using jail meetings for political messaging, the meetings can continue as scheduled. Salman Akram Raja assured the court that there would be no media interactions after the meetings and that the orders would be strictly adhered to.

The prison authorities’ lawyer reiterated that media talks outside the jail premises could not be allowed, as they could pose security risks and create law and order issues. The acting chief justice instructed that no political discussions should take place following these meetings, and any violation of this rule could result in legal consequences.

During the proceedings, the issue of Imran Khan meeting his children was also discussed. The court directed that a request for this meeting should be submitted to the trial court, emphasizing that jail meetings should be conducted in an orderly manner and should not be exploited for any purpose beyond legal rights.