The Islamabad High Court has granted leaders and lawyers from Imran Khan's party permission to visit him at Adiala Jail and conduct election strategy meetings leading up to the February 8 polls. Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb issued the order in response to Khan's petition, allowing consultations with party members to strategize for the upcoming elections. The 71-year-old former prime minister also sought privacy assurances from the court during discussions with his legal team, as reported by PTI.
During the hearing, the Attorney-General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, PTI counsel Shoaib Shaheen, and the Adiala Jail superintendent were present. Shaheen emphasized the need for discussions related to the allocation of 700 tickets, while the Attorney-General raised objections to the plea's maintainability.
Justice Aurangzeb expressed dissatisfaction with the Attorney-General's arguments, referencing a previous note from Justice Athar Minallah in the cipher case against Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The cipher case revolves around the alleged mishandling of a diplomatic document, with both Khan and Qureshi previously granted bail by the Supreme Court.
Quoting Justice Minallah's note, Justice Aurangzeb highlighted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the government's responsibility to ensure a genuine election without any perception of bias against a political party. He emphasized the need for impartiality from the caretaker government, stating, "A terrible system is being run under the interim government where even consultation on elections is not allowed."
Despite objections, the court allowed PTI lawyers, including Chairman Gohar Khan, to hold consultations with Imran Khan in jail. The meeting between Gohar Khan and the ex-premier was ordered to take place under the supervision of the jail superintendent.
Justice Aurangzeb emphasized the fundamental right to consult on polls and criticized the caretaker government, stating, "Opposing meetings between the PTI chairman and Imran (Khan) raises questions on the neutrality of the interim set-up." The judge concluded the proceedings and disposed of the petition.
A PTI lawyer, speaking to reporters, criticized the caretaker government, stating they "are actually chair takers" and alleging that they have an issue with the unity between Imran Khan and the nation. The lawyer asserted public support for Khan and suggested that the Election Commission and elite political parties were anticipating defeat.
Imran Khan was ousted through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, and since then, more than 150 cases have been registered against him. With the release of the poll schedule, election-related activities are underway in major political party camps, and the deadline for filing nomination papers has passed. Returning officers will examine the nomination papers from December 25 to December 30.
