In a significant development, the Islamabad High Court has issued an order permitting leaders and legal representatives of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to conduct election strategy meetings with him at Adiala Jail. The decision, made by Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb, responds to Imran Khan’s petition seeking permission for strategic discussions with party members, including Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar Khan, Aurangzeb Khan, Dost Mohammad Khan, and Ishtiaq Meherban, in preparation for the upcoming February 8 polls.
Imran Khan’s plea also sought privacy assurances during consultations with his legal team, a request acknowledged by the court. PTI counsel Shoaib Shaheen highlighted the party’s need for discussions regarding the allocation of 700 tickets. However, objections to the plea’s maintainability were raised by the Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan.
Justice Aurangzeb expressed dissatisfaction with the AGP’s objections, referencing an additional note from the Supreme Court related to the cipher case against Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The cipher case involves the alleged mishandling of a diplomatic document, and the Supreme Court had emphasized the Election Commission of Pakistan’s duty to ensure a genuine and impartial election.
In response to objections, Justice Aurangzeb stressed the fundamental right of permission for consultations on polls and criticized the caretaker government’s apparent reluctance to allow such meetings. The court ultimately granted PTI lawyers, including Chairman Gohar Khan, permission to hold consultations with Imran Khan in jail, emphasizing the importance of a neutral stance by the caretaker government during elections.
Imran Khan, who faced a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, has more than 150 cases registered against him since his removal from power. With the election schedule released, political activities have intensified as major parties gear up for the upcoming polls.
