KP CM barred from meeting Imran in Adiala despite IHC order

• Jail authorities defy IHC directive reinstating Imran’s twice-weekly visitation right
• CM Afridi protests outside Adiala, staging symbolic sit-in after being stopped at prison gate
• Laments ‘helplessness of judiciary,’ slamming non-implementation of clear court orders as institutional failure
• PTI vows to uphold mandate, saying KP cabinet formation will proceed only under Imran Khan’s guidance

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was on Thursday barred from meeting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail—despite a categorical directive from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to allow such meetings.

Earlier in the day, the IHC had directed the Adiala Jail superintendent to immediately implement its March 24 order reinstating twice-weekly meetings between the former prime minister and his party members.

The bench—headed by Chief Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and comprising Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan—heard 11 petitions filed by PTI leaders, including CM Afridi, seeking permission to meet their incarcerated leader to discuss party policy, cabinet formation, and provincial governance issues.

Court orders and immediate defiance

The court’s order, issued around midday, explicitly instructed Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum to facilitate the meetings under the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs) and as per the visitor list submitted by PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja. The IHC bench reminded the jail administration that its March 2025 verdict clearly permitted meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

However, within hours of the ruling, CM Afridi’s convoy was stopped at the Dahgal checkpoint near Adiala Jail, where the police informed him that no permission had been granted. The KP chief minister, accompanied by PTI KP President Junaid Akbar and party Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja, staged a symbolic sit-in outside the facility to protest the denial.

Speaking to reporters, Afridi expressed deep frustration at what he termed “open defiance of court orders.” He said, “If court decisions are not being respected, it raises serious questions about the state of justice in the country. This is not my weakness—it reflects the helplessness of the judiciary itself.”

میں نے ہر آئینی قانونی طریقہ استعمال کیا۔۔وفاق کو لکھا، پنجاب کو لکھا، چیف جسٹس کو لکھا اور ہائیکورٹ بھی گیا لیکن عمران خان سے ملاقات نہیں کروائی گئی اب میں اپنا مقدمہ عوام کی عدالت میں لے کر جا رہا ہوں،

سہیل آفریدی pic.twitter.com/wThaykpVeN

— 𝐼𝓂𝓇𝒶𝓃 𝐿𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓀𝒶 (@Lalika79) October 23, 2025

He clarified that his visit was entirely constitutional and aimed at obtaining policy guidance from the PTI founder on matters related to cabinet formation and governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “It is my right and duty to seek direction from my leader,” he said, adding that no cabinet would be formed without Imran Khan’s consultation.

Afridi further remarked, “The people of KP have voted for the ideology and policy of Imran Khan. My leader has always favored dialogue. Even if I am not allowed to meet him, I will wait for his instructions.”

“عدالتی حکم کے باوجود ہمیں قائد عمران خان سے ملاقات نہیں کرنے دی گئی۔ اگر عدالتوں کے احکامات تک کو نہیں مانا جا رہا ہے تو یہ ہماری کمزوری نہیں بلکہ عدالتوں کی بے بسی ہے۔” وزیراعلٰی خیبرپختونخوا سہیل آفریدی pic.twitter.com/xIMFXjfytk

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 23, 2025

PTI reaction and symbolic protest

Shortly after the episode, the KP CM Secretariat confirmed in a statement that the chief minister was “not allowed to meet his leader despite explicit court permission.” The PTI’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) shared videos showing Afridi sitting on the ground outside the jail, surrounded by supporters, terming it a “symbolic sit-in against the violation of court orders.”

The party reiterated that the continued denial of lawful meetings was a direct challenge to judicial authority and the fundamental political rights of its leadership. It also recalled that the IHC’s earlier order had already permitted such meetings twice a week under clear SOPs, and that the jail administration had repeatedly failed to comply.

Heated courtroom exchange

Earlier during the IHC hearing, a heated exchange took place between PTI’s Salman Akram Raja and Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum over the alleged non-implementation of previous court directives. Raja argued that “not even once” had the March order been implemented, despite the party repeatedly submitting a list of visitors. “We have been following the law and providing the names in advance, yet our members are stopped at the gate,” he said.

The jail superintendent, however, rejected the allegations, asserting that “regular meetings” were being held but no official list had ever been received. He also accused PTI members of breaching court orders by addressing the media immediately after their meetings.

To this, Raja quipped, “The court said not to speak to the media at the jail gate; it did not say to tape our mouths. We speak a mile away from Adiala—outside the prison boundary.” The courtroom moment drew light laughter but underscored the growing mistrust between PTI and jail authorities.

The bench then reaffirmed its earlier order, directing the jail superintendent to allow the meetings strictly in accordance with the SOPs and to ensure no media talk was held at the prison gate. Chief Justice Dogar observed that while PTI leaders were not barred from talking to the media, “it must not be done at the jail premises.”

Suspension of political talk ruling

On the same day, the IHC also took up intra-court appeals (ICAs) filed by the Punjab and Islamabad governments against an earlier ruling that had nullified the ban on political discussions during prisoners’ meetings. The division bench suspended the October 2024 single-bench order issued by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, thereby reinstating Rule 265 of the Pakistan Prison Rules 1978.

اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ کے رول 265 (قیدیوں کی سیاسی گفتگو پہ پابندی) کے فیصلے کی بحالی اور اڈیالہ جیل انتظامیہ کی عمران خان کی ملاقاتیں روکنے پہ پاکستان تحریک انصاف کا ردعمل:

اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ کے تین رکنی بینچ نے آج ایک ایسے قانون کو دوبارہ زندہ کیا ہے جو غلامی اور ایک ڈکٹیٹر کے…

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 23, 2025

The rule explicitly prohibits the discussion of political matters during meetings or correspondence by inmates. The Punjab Advocate General (AG) Amjad Pervaiz, supported by Islamabad AG Ayaz Shaukat, argued that the previous judgment had ignored procedural requirements and violated established precedent. “The jail rules have existed since 1984 without amendment, and due notice was not issued to the relevant attorney general before striking them down,” Pervaiz contended.

Justice Tahir asked whether such notices were mandatory, to which Pervaiz replied that Supreme Court rulings had made them a legal necessity. He further maintained that the rules fell under the Punjab government’s jurisdiction after the 18th Amendment, not federal law.

Context of Imran Khan’s incarceration

Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 following his conviction in the Toshakhana case—one of several cases brought against him since his ouster from power in April 2022. The former prime minister also faces charges ranging from corruption and misuse of authority to terrorism-related offenses.

During his imprisonment, Khan has written several letters to the Chief Justices of Pakistan and multiple “open letters” to the army chief, raising concerns about political victimization and democratic freedoms. He also reportedly authored an essay published by The Economist in January 2024, only weeks before the general elections.

Aleema Khan episode and broader implications

During Thursday’s proceedings, Rawalpindi police briefly appeared before the IHC to have Imran’s sister, Aleema Khanum, sign a non-bailable arrest warrant issued against her in a 2022 protest-related case. After securing her signature, the officers departed without making an arrest. The court was informed that an anti-terrorism court had earlier issued show-cause notices to two police officers for submitting a “fabricated report” claiming Aleema was absconding.

Legal observers noted that the day’s developments once again illustrated the uneasy balance between Pakistan’s judiciary, administrative apparatus, and political institutions. Despite categorical court rulings, enforcement continues to face bureaucratic resistance — raising questions about the strength of judicial authority.

For PTI, Thursday’s incident was emblematic of what it describes as a broader effort to isolate Imran Khan and obstruct internal party coordination. For the judiciary, it reflected yet another test of institutional resolve in ensuring that its own decisions are respected and implemented without discrimination.