PTI leaders denied meeting with Imran Khan at Adiala jail despite court directions

ISLAMABAD: Efforts by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to meet the party's incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, at Adiala jail were unsuccessful on Thursday, familiar with the matter. The party had sought the meeting in accordance with directions from the apex court.

On Wednesday, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja submitted a list of six individuals intended to meet Imran Khan. The list included MNAs Shahid Khattak, Shabbir Ali Qureshi, Javed Waraich, Adil Bazai, Sohail Sultan, and Major (Retd) Fayyaz Ahmed. This list was forwarded to jail authorities as per the court's instructions.

Shabbir Ali Qureshi stated that he, along with other PTI leaders, arrived at Adiala jail at 1:30pm on Thursday. He said they informed the jail administration of their presence and the court's directions regarding the meeting. According to Qureshi, the jail officials responded that the names had been forwarded for approval and advised the delegation to wait.

Qureshi reported that the group waited until 3pm, which was the cut-off time for such meetings. Despite their wait, they were not granted access to meet Imran Khan. "We had arrived at 1:30pm and informed the jail administration that, as per the directions of the court, we should be allowed to meet Khan sahib. They told us that names have been forwarded for approval, and suggested we wait," Qureshi said.

Jailed PTI leaders have called on the government to reconsider its approach towards the former prime minister. They maintained that adherence to court directions is essential and expressed concern over the continued denial of access to Imran Khan.

There has been no official statement from jail authorities regarding the reasons for the delay or denial of the meeting. The situation remains unresolved, with PTI leaders reiterating their demand for compliance with the court's instructions.