ISLAMABAD (News Desk) – Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, has filed a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the Adiala jail superintendent and senior government officials for allegedly violating a court order that restored twice-a-week visitation rights for the former prime minister.
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The development came hours after KP CM Sohail Afridi and several PTI leaders staged an overnight sit-in outside Adiala Jail on Thursday when the chief minister was denied a meeting with Imran for the eighth consecutive time. PTI had also ended its latest sit-in on Friday morning, announcing that the party would approach the IHC — where Aleema later filed the contempt plea.
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The petition names Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, Saddar Beroni SHO Raja Aizaz Azeem, Interior Secretary Capt (retd) Muhammad Khurram Agha, and Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin as respondents.
Aleema stated that she remained deeply concerned about the “well-being, legal rights, and humane treatment” of her brother during his incarceration and accused authorities of “wilfully” defying the IHC’s March 24 order that restored visitation on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The plea noted that standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued on March 28, 2024 explicitly designated Tuesdays for meetings with Imran’s friends, and Thursdays for his family and lawyers. It added that despite the clear court directive, the respondents repeatedly denied access to Imran’s legal counsel, family members, and associates.
The petition also recalled an undertaking submitted by the jail superintendent on November 8, 2024, promising to allow visits per the approved schedule. However, when several PTI leaders arrived at the jail on November 11, they were allegedly made to wait for hours before being “unlawfully detained.”
Aleema argued that such conduct amounted to a “wilful flouting” of the court’s authority and constituted serious contempt of court. She sought criminal proceedings against the respondents and strict directions ensuring compliance with the March 24 order.
Earlier, KP CM Sohail Afridi — who also reached the IHC on Friday — told reporters that neither Imran Khan nor his wife Bushra Bibi had been allowed any meetings since October 27. He accused authorities of political victimisation, adding that even Imran’s sisters had been allegedly manhandled during a previous sit-in outside Adiala Jail.
Afridi warned that the PTI would escalate peaceful protests if visitation rights were not restored. He said the party had called on parliamentarians to gather outside the IHC on Tuesday before marching to Adiala Jail.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar criticised the PTI for “placing all governance aside” and focusing solely on an “illegal demand” to receive political instructions from Imran Khan inside jail. He said jail rules did not permit political meetings and accused the PTI of pursuing an “anti-Pakistan narrative.”
Tarar claimed that Imran’s supporters had attempted to malign Pakistan internationally through foreign-based social media campaigns, urging the PTI to abandon its “adversarial approach” and prioritise public welfare.
