KARACHI: The provincial head of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in Sindh, Haleem Adil Sheikh, today strongly condemned the government’s suspension of all meetings with the party’s founder, Imran Khan, labeling the move a form of political revenge that flouts constitutional protections and fundamental rights.
In a statement released on Friday, Sheikh accused two federal ministers of openly defying the law during a press conference a day prior, where they announced the prohibition on meetings with the former prime minister. He described this action as both “alarming and condemnable.”
The PTI leader contended that the decision contravenes established inmate rights under the Pakistan Prison Rules. He specified that Rule 540 entitles prisoners to meet family members, Rule 541 guarantees access to legal counsel, and Rule 549 disallows a complete suspension of visits without a lawful basis. “These protections are being openly violated in Imran Khan’s case,” he asserted.
Sheikh further argued that the ban directly conflicts with national law, including constitutional guarantees such as Article 9 (safeguards against unlawful detention), Article 10 (the right to consult legal counsel), and Article 14 (protection of human dignity).
He highlighted that the Islamabad High Court had previously directed the restoration of meetings with Imran Khan, but the government has persisted with the ban. Sheikh characterized this persistence as “defying judicial authority” and an act of contempt of court.
Referencing international standards, Sheikh stated that the government is ignoring the UN’s Mandela Rules. He noted these rules protect a detainee’s right to communication and family visits (Rule 58), unhindered access to lawyers (Rule 61), proper medical care (Rule 24), and protection from inhumane treatment (Rule 43).
Compounding these concerns, he mentioned that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has already declared Mr. Khan’s imprisonment to be unlawful, arbitrary, and politically motivated, which he said intensifies the seriousness of the current restrictions.
Sheikh also voiced criticism over what he termed a lack of transparency regarding Imran Khan’s health, stating that the withholding of information has caused widespread apprehension. He urged the authorities to immediately restore all meeting privileges and provide clarity on the former prime minister’s medical condition.
