ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was denied a meeting with the party founder Imran Khan on Thursday despite the court orders.
Talking to the media outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi along with other leaders, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz said that today again they were not allowed to meet former prime minister and PTI founder, which is a contempt of court. He insisted punishments should be determined for those who do not comply with the court decisions.
As per the court order, Thursday was the day of meeting with the PTI founder in jail, for which the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz reached the jail besides Niazullah Niazi and Aalia Hamza.
Moreover, Imran’s lawyers Ali Imran and Malik Tariq Noon also reached the jail. However, the PTI leaders could not get permission to meet him.
Shibli Faraz strongly criticised the non-implementation of court rulings, stating that denying them a meeting with their leader for the second time reflects a disregard for judicial decisions.
Faraz argued that when courts and judges issue rulings based on the law, but authorities fail to enforce them, there should be consequences for those who refuse to comply.
“If the public sees that court decisions hold no value, why would they respect the law? People are confused. All the prisoners here have been sentenced by the courts yet preventing us from meeting our leader is a blatant insult to the judiciary,” he remarked.
Omar Ayub strongly objected to denial of a meeting with the PTI founder, despite a court order permitting it.
“The founder himself finalises the list of Thursday’s meeting and hands it over to the lawyers. We do not know on whose orders this meeting is being blocked,” he said.
Omar Ayub criticised the restrictions placed on Imran Khan, stating that he had not been allowed to speak to his children for two-and-a-half months, meet his sisters or even offer Eid prayers.
The PTI leader accused authorities of repeatedly disrespecting the judiciary and expressed hope that the courts would enforce their orders. However, he added, “If judges cannot implement their own decisions, then it would be better for them to resign and go home.”
Responding to a question about the situation in Balochistan, Omar Ayub said a PTI delegation had travelled to the province and faced obstacles in meeting BNPM leader Akhtar Mengal’s convoy, allegedly due to interference by the provincial government. He condemned these actions, emphasizing the lack of law and order in the region.
PTI founder’s focal person Niazullah Niazi accused the executive of continuously violating the Islamabad High Court’s orders, stating that the larger bench’s ruling had been ignored for the third time. “We have filed a contempt of court petition and will submit another to ensure judicial decisions are upheld,” he added.
PTI leader Aliya Hamza also criticised the treatment of Imran Khan, calling it a disgrace that an elected prime minister is subjected to such conditions. “Our prime minister [Imran Khan] is being denied meetings with his sisters, given stale food, and deprived of access to TV and newspapers,” she said.