LEGAL

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Junaid Akbar, seeking permission to meet the party’s founder, Imran Khan.
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro announced the verdict, declaring the petition inadmissible due to the petitioners' failure to adhere to the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for meeting incarcerated individuals.
Court’s Decision & Jail Authorities’ Response
The court noted that the PTI leaders had not followed the proper mechanism set by jail authorities for meeting Imran Khan. The jail superintendent presented a list of eight PTI leaders who had met Khan on March 10, confirming that visits were being facilitated in accordance with the law.
The eight leaders who met Khan include:
✅ Salman Akram Raja
✅ Barrister Gohar
✅ Salman Safdar
✅ Niazullah Niazi
✅ Naeem Panjhutha
✅ Shoaib Shaheen
✅ Abuzar Niazi
✅ Uzair Bhandari
The decision emphasized that since the petitioners had not followed the established procedures, their plea was inadmissible under the law.
Background & Legal Implications
The PTI leadership has frequently raised concerns over restricted access to Imran Khan in jail, claiming that his legal team and senior party officials face difficulties in securing meetings. However, jail authorities maintain that all visits are conducted per established guidelines.
Legal experts suggest that this ruling reinforces the importance of compliance with legal protocols when seeking meetings with high-profile detainees. PTI leaders are now expected to follow the proper procedure if they wish to meet their party’s founder.