PTI leaders no-show at Adiala jail on court-mandated day for meeting with Imran

ISLAMABAD: Not a single PTI leader arrived at Adiala jail on Thursday to meet incarcerated ex-premier Imran Khan, despite the names of the party’s heavyweights being sent to the prison administration.

The Islamabad High Court has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesdays and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, the ex-premier has been largely restricted from meeting visitors for several months.

Party leaders have been facing severe criticism for the last few months as they usually nominate the second or third-tier leadership for meetings with Imran on Thursdays. Meanwhile, on Tuesdays, Imran’s sisters consistently reach Adiala jail in an effort to meet their brother, regardless of the fact that such a meeting has not been allowed in recent months.

For Thursday’s meeting, the party had decided to include PTI heavyweights to curb the criticism being levied against the leadership. The list of names sent to Adiala Kail Superintendent Sajid Baig, available with Dawn, included Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Sardar Latif Khosa, Babar Awan, Hamid Khan, Intizar Panjotha and Salman Akram Raja.

It was expected that Raja may not visit the prison as he had, a day earlier, reiterated that he would send his resignation to Imran while responding to questions that the ex-premier’s sister Aleema had said that the PTI leadership was not doing justice to the party positions.

However, not a single other leader showed up outside Adiala jail till 4pm, the cutoff time for the meetings with inmates.

Speaking to Dawn, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that Barrister Gohar was in Lahore to meet the family members of party leaders who were imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat jail.

He added that Raja was busy in court as he was making arrangements to secure the bail of PTI workers who were recently arrested.

“I am not aware of the reason why other leaders did not go to Adiala jail. However, it is possible that they thought that they would not be allowed to meet Imran,” he said.

In response to Raja’s remarks following Aleema’s criticism, Waqas said that it appeared that both of them were frustrated because of the ongoing situation.

“I can only say that Imran’s family also comprises PTI workers and vice versa. They are all worried about the PTI founder and want to secure his release at the earliest,” he said.