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IHC Questions Trial Proceedings Without Imran Khan–Lawyer Meeting
Islamabad High Court questions how Imran Khan’s X account case can proceed if his counsel is denied access to him, seeks responses from jail authorities and PTA.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-21
IHC Questions Trial Proceedings Without Imran Khan–Lawyer Meeting

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday questioned how proceedings in the case related to PTI founder Imran Khan’s X (formerly Twitter) account could continue when authorities were denying his legal counsel access to him.

The remarks were made by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, who was presiding over the hearing of a petition concerning alleged “inflammatory posts” made from an X account operated in the name of the incarcerated former prime minister.

During the hearing, Imran Khan’s counsel and PTI leader Salman Akram Raja informed the court that he had been unable to meet his client for consultation since the case was filed.

“The court has received responses from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and jail authorities,” Justice Tahir noted.

Addressing Raja, the judge stated that final arguments would be heard on February 24, provided the counsel was able to meet Imran Khan before then.

Justice Tahir directed Raja to submit a detailed response in connection with a contempt petition over the denial of meetings with the PTI founder. The court also instructed the advocate general Islamabad to submit a written response in the contempt matter.

The state counsel informed the court that a larger bench was currently hearing cases related to meetings with Imran Khan. In response, Justice Tahir remarked that the defence had raised a valid concern about how proceedings could move forward without consultation between the accused and his lawyer.

Raja argued that despite a case being filed against him, he had not been allowed to meet his client “ever since the case was initiated”.

He further reminded the court that on November 4, 2025, the IHC had issued clear orders allowing meetings between him and Imran Khan, which, he said, had not been implemented for over two months.

“Should I go there today for a meeting?” Raja asked, adding that the PTI founder was being kept in solitary confinement.

Justice Tahir assured that an order regarding the meeting would be issued, stating, “The case will only move forward if we allow him (Raja) a meeting.”

During the proceedings, the court also expressed dissatisfaction with the response submitted by the PTA, terming it “unsatisfactory”.

“Look at what the writ petition is and what your response is,” Justice Tahir said, expressing displeasure at the PTA’s submission.

The court instructed the state counsel to submit a written reply on the issue and adjourned the hearing until February 24.

It may be recalled that Justice Tahir had earlier directed Adiala Jail authorities to ensure Raja’s access to Imran Khan and had instructed the deputy attorney general and state counsel to immediately convey the order to jail officials.

In recent months, restrictions on meetings with Imran Khan have reportedly increased. In December last year, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry stated that meetings with the incarcerated PTI leader would remain suspended until February 8.

The Petition

The petition was filed in September by citizen Ghulam Murtaza Khan, through Barrister Zafarullah Khan Advocate, challenging the alleged inflammatory posts made from Imran Khan’s official X account during his imprisonment.

The petitioner argued that the dissemination of “provocative and malicious” content from the account of a convicted prisoner was unlawful and in violation of prison rules.

The petition sought directions for the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the PTA to conduct a thorough investigation to determine who was operating the account while Imran Khan remained incarcerated.

It also requested the court to order the blocking and removal of such content from social media platforms and to direct jail authorities to ensure that the prisoner is not allowed to access or operate social media in violation of jail regulations, terming such activity “unconstitutional and illegal”.

In a written reply submitted earlier, Adiala Jail authorities denied that the X account was being operated from within the prison. The jail superintendent stated that the PTI founder was under strict surveillance and had no access to prohibited devices, particularly mobile phones.
Tagged:

PTI

IHC

ImranKhan

IslamabadHighCourt

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