A larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will on Thursday hear all 11 petitions filed by PTI leaders, including one by newly elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, regarding their meeting with imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Adiala jail. According to Dawn report, the objective of the bench is to resolve the ongoing disputes regarding Khan’s visitation rights.
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The IHC Registrar Office has issued notices to Islamabad and the Advocate General of Punjab, Prosecutor General of Punjab, Inspector General of Police Punjab and Inspector General of Prisons. The lady medical officer and Adiala jail superintendent have also been summoned for the same date. The court is expected to address both visitation issues between Islamabad and Punjab administration and the dispute over jurisdiction over Adiala jail.
On Monday, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir of the Islamabad High Court rejected the objections raised by the registrar’s office on Chief Minister Afridi’s plea seeking permission to meet Khan in jail. Advocate Ali Bukhari appeared for the petitioner, while the petition was filed through Advocate General Shah Faesal, reported Dawn. The petition sought court intervention to allow a meeting between the provincial chief executive and Khan to discuss governance matters and cabinet formation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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The registrar’s office had earlier raised objections saying that similar petitions have already been decided and there is a set procedure in place for such appointments. However, advocate Bukhari argued that “new legal grounds” exist, as the Cabinet has not yet been formed and consultation with Khan is necessary for administrative functioning. Justice Tahir, after hearing the arguments, rejected the objections and issued notices to the Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police and Adiala Jail Superintendent, directing them to file their replies by October 23.