A family member and a group of lawyers reached Adiala Jail on Tuesday afternoon to meet former prime minister Imran Khan but were not allowed to see him despite waiting for several hours.
The visitors arrived at around 2pm and remained at the jail until after 4pm, but the meeting was not permitted.
Imran Khan has remained in prison since 2023. A court order allows him to meet his family members, lawyers and associates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite the order, his access to visitors has remained restricted.
His sisters had regularly travelled to Adiala Jail in an effort to meet him. However, they have recently been detained under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960, ahead of the party’s planned September 27 protest.
With his sisters in detention, other family members were expected to visit the jail to demonstrate that the court-ordered meetings were not being facilitated. Their identities were not disclosed due to concerns that they could also face detention.
A list of lawyers was also submitted to the jail administration for the scheduled meeting. The lawyers reached the facility and informed authorities of their presence but were ultimately forced to leave without meeting Imran Khan.
The issue of access to family and lawyers has previously been raised before the courts. In August, the Supreme Court directed authorities to facilitate meetings between Imran Khan and his family while also ordering a medical examination at a private hospital.
Following the court’s interim order, one of his sisters was permitted to meet him twice. No further family meeting has taken place since the last visit on August 25.
