Reply sought on Qamar Zaman Kaira’s plea for permission to meet Asif Ali Zardari in jail

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from chief commissioner of Islamabad about alleged undeclared ban on visiting former president Asif Ali Zardari in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

PPP-Punjab president Qamar Zaman Kaira filed a petition seeking a direction for the prison authorities to allow him and other party leaders to meet Zardari in the jail.

In pursuance of a previous order, Adiala Jail Superintendent Adeel Zafar appeared before the court and stated that chief commission of Islamabad was the competent authority to permit meeting with the inmates. At this, Justice Shahid Waheed directed a law officer to submit a reply on behalf of the chief commissioner of the federal capital on Thursday (today).

Kaira through counsel Abid Saqi submitted that former president Zardari was detained at Adiala Jail in connection with a NAB case. However, he said, the jail officials were not allowing him (petitioner) and other party leaders to meet with Mr Zardari despite several requests made to them. He pleaded that a meeting could be held with any prisoner or under-trial prisoner as per prisons rules but the officials were not granting permission to the party leaders to visit Zardari. Kaira contended that health condition of the former president was not good and the party was concerned about his health.

He asked the court to order the jail officials to permit a meeting with Zardari as per the law.