- Provincial Home Dept says two-week ban decided in light of ‘threats’ issued by LEAs, intelligence agencies
- Gohar says Imran’s life in danger, demanding instantly information about his health, safety and security
ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Home Department on Tuesday imposed a two-week ban on prisoner visitations and media coverage at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, with the PTI denouncing the blanket ban on meetings with its founder due to security threats, terming the move part of the large scheme to isolate the party’s founder.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, flanked by PTI Secretary General and Opposition leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub, said that the today’s press conference was very important because it was very serious but on one point agenda that was the safety and security of their leader Imran Khan.
Since the February 8 polls, the prison has been the centre of several meetings between the incarcerated former PTI chief and leaders belonging to the party as well as its allies, seeking the former premier’s consultations over the party’s course of political action.
In orders issued to the Punjab IG, the department maintained that the decision was taken in light of a ‘threat alert’ issued for the prison by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The department’s Internal Security Wing reported that terrorists who have the support of anti-state groups wanted to target the prison to spread chaos in the country. Hence, it was important for the department to take necessary measures to avoid such incidents.
As per sources, the department has ordered the Special Branch, Intelligence Bureau, and Prisons Department to conduct a security survey of the prison on March 13 (tomorrow). It has also directed the installation of barbed wires around the boundary wall and the screening of the jail premises and nearby areas by the bomb disposal squad.
As per the Home Department’s directives, government contractors and staff employed at the jail will also undergo a security clearance by police and Rangers along with mock emergency drills.
The ban will be applied to all the inmates of the jail, including former premier Imran, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and PTI President Parvez Elahi.
‘Imran’s life in danger’
Gohar stated that the two-week blanket ban was imposed under the pretext that there was a terror threat, which they denounced in the strongest possible terms. “We demand that before imposing this blanket ban, Imran Khan’s family members and lawyers should have been informed,” he added.
Gohar stated that Imran Khan’s life was in danger and he already expressed his distrust on those who kept him in custody, demanding that they should be instantly informed about the real situation regarding his health, safety and security because it was very concerning.
He demanded that they should be allowed to meet Imran Khan by all means today (Wednesday).
PTI Chairman stated that in the first place, PTI Founder was embroiled in fabricated and politically motivated cases and was convicted through unjust speedy courts’ trials. However, he expressed optimism that the judiciary would do justice and he would be cleared of all these bogus and fake cases soon.
“Imran Khan’s life is in danger, he is not an ordinary prisoner that such a meeting should be banned – we demand that we be allowed to meet and be told where the ban orders came from,” Gohar demanded.
He stated that in connection with the meeting with Imran Khan, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had allowed that routine meetings could be held on Tuesday and Thursday, but neither his family, lawyers nor the party leadership were not allowed to meet him and were told that a blanket ban had been imposed on the meeting owing to the security threats.
PTI Chairman went on to say that the PTI founder had given a list of ten lawyers but even they did not get a chance to meet him as per the set rules, as they always met him in tight security.
Gohar lamented that Bushra Bibi was confined to a tiny room in Bani Gala house and was kept in a worst condition than the Adiala Jail.
Speaking on the occasion, PTI Secretary General said that he visited Adiala jail thrice but was not being allowed to meet the prime minister Imran Khan despite the court’s orders.
Opposition Leader stated that Chief Minister Punjab and IG Punjab were not ready to obey the court order under the pretence of security aimed at isolating Imran Khan.
However, he made it clear that they would not succeed in their nefarious plan because the nation was stood firmly with their beloved leader ideology of Haqeeqi Azadi.
Omar said that the so-called, unconstitutional and illegal chief minister Maryam Nawaz should be ashamed because this bar has been placed under her watch.
Omar went on to say that the person who had been unconstitutionally and illegally made the interior minister was responsible for all this situation.
He said that jail authorities claimed of detaining terrorists from the vicinity of Adiala jail but did they ever conducted any of their identification parade to ascertain to which proscribed organization they were belonged to and what sort of weapons were recovered from them.
Omar stated that the situation around the Adiala jail was quite peaceful and normal as all other people were allowed to freely meet with their imprisoned family members but only they were denied meeting with Khan despite the court’s clear orders.
However, he demanded that even if there was security issue was of the prison despite stationed so many security personnel and high walls, then the prison officers should be sacked and action should be taken because it proved their incompetence and negligence.
PTI Secretary General stated that PTI founder was kept in prison in a case that he sold a watch which belonged to him. According to this, Omar stated that Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif had taken luxury cars and they should be in jail instead of Imran Khan.
MWM files contempt plea
Earlier today, the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) filed a contempt plea at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the Adiala jail superintendent for denying the party chief and other members a meeting with the PTI founding chairman a day earlier. The plea was filed by the party’s chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
Talking to the media after filing the plea, Allama Nasir stated that the jail authorities did not allow him to meet Imran despite a court order issued in this regard on March 8. He added that the prison officers made him wait from 9 AM to 4 PM on March 11.
The MWM chief lamented how the situation in the country “was worse than a jungle”. “Even a jungle has more laws,” he stated.
PTI leaders turned away
Last month, several leaders of the PTI, including those elected in the February 8 general elections, were turned away by the Adiala jail as they reached there for a meeting with the party founder.
The leaders said they had a court order for a meeting with Imran to discuss the prevailing situation and unfolding political developments in the country. However, the jail administration declined to obey the court orders.
The jail authorities allowed only five PTI leaders to meet with Imran – Barrister Ali Zafar, Barrister Umair Niazi, Ali Bukhari, Shadab Jafari, and Ahmed Owais Advocate, while the others were denied permission for the meeting.
Those who were not allowed to meet Imran, included Acting PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, Chief Organiser Omar Ayub, former speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, former Azad Kashmir prime minister Sardar Qayyum Niazi, besides other party leaders Atif Khan, Shahram Tarakai, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Seembia Tahir.
Qaiser said, “Major developments were taking place in the country. Therefore, it is necessary for the senior leadership of the party to consult the PTI founder. The people have given a big mandate to the PTI founder.”
