ISLAMABAD  -   The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday is­sued notice to the Adiala Jail superintendent in a petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against him for not allowing the PTI founder meet­ing with his relatives, legal team and party leaders.

A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Sa­man Raffat Imtiaz conducted hearing of the con­tempt petition filed by AIlama Nasir Abbas Chair­man Majlis Wahdat al-Muslimeen (MWM) against the restriction on Imran Khan’s meetings despite court orders. The petitioner’s counsel said that the IHC granted permission for the meetings with the PTI founder in jail on March 8 but the Superinten­dent Adiala Jail did not follow the court order and committed contempt of court.

The petitioner requested the court to take strict action against the jail superintendent and allow the PTI founder meetings with relatives and counsel. The court issued notice to the superintendent and sought a report from him in this matter. Later, the bench deferred the hearing of the case till March 15 for further proceedings. Majlis Wahdat al-Mus­limeen (MWM) Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas filed the petition and cited Superintendent Adia­la jail as respondent. He stated in the petition that despite possessing a court order, they were denied access to Imran Khan when they visited Adiala Jail. Separately, another single bench of IHC comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir summoned Super­intendent Adiala jail to appear in person before the court today. The IHC bench issued the directions in a petition moved by the PTI through Sher Afzal Mar­wat challenging a notification of the Punjab govern­ment imposing a two-week ban on all public vis­its, meetings and interviews at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail citing “security” threats. The PTI counsel con­tended that under the Prison Rules, 1978, the pow­er to regulate the convicted and under trial prison­ers is vested in the Superintendent Central Prison, Rawalpindi; therefore, he has been arrayed as the only respondent. He argued that acts and omissions of the respondents are aimed to cater for the polit­ical exigencies at the behest of political opponents. 

The IHC bench said in its written order that points raised need consideration and directed the office to issue notice to the respondent-Superin­tendent Central Prison, Rawalpindi to appear in person before this Court today.