Meetings with Imran continue to remain suspended as authorities stop PTI leaders outside Adiala jail

ISLAMABAD: Meetings with the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan continued to remain suspended on Thursday as authorities yet again stopped party leaders outside Adiala jail.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja had previously given a list of six names to jail authorities for a meeting with Imran. The leaders included Seemabia Tahir, Haider Mehdi, Raja Saqib Ali, Jahangir Ahmed Butt, Malik Najam Khan and Muhammad Owais Qaiser.

Talking to Dawn, Tahir, a member of the party’s core committee, said that the time slot for meetings was from 2pm to 4pm. She said that workers and leaders reached Adiala jail at 1:45pm.

“At the Dhagil check post, we informed authorities that our names were included in the list and, as per orders of the apex court, we should be allowed to meet Imran. But we were not allowed to move ahead. We were left with no option, so we started protesting,” she said.

“We remained there till 4:30pm and finally decided to return,” she said.

Replying to a question, she said that it was unfortunate that Imran had lost 85 per cent of his vision in one eye while the other had also been affected.

“Imran has been in solitary confinement for the last five months and it is a violation of national and international laws. When Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Maryam Nawaz were in Adiala jail, they were allowed to meet anyone. But Imran is not allowed to meet his family members. His family physicians are also not being allowed to meet him,” she lamented.

The IHC has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesday and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, the ex-premier has not been largely restricted from meeting visitors for several weeks.

His last meeting took place with his lawyer, Salman Safdar, on February 10, after the Supreme Court’s intervention following a long period of no visits being allowed.

Imran’s family and the PTI allege that he has been kept in solitary confinement.

After the Adiala jail administration did not allow his sisters to meet him on March 24, the PTI termed the ban on meetings a violation of fundamental rights and demanded an immediate end to his alleged solitary confinement.

PTI decries govt’s economic policies

The PTI also rejected on Thursday the recent increase in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices and an anticipated rise in petroleum product prices, saying it was “anti-people and unjust”.

In a statement, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram stated that such measures would further burden citizens who were already struggling under severe economic pressure.

He said that the current government’s economic policies and reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was pushing the country deeper into a cycle of inflation and economic hardship.

“Increasing LPG prices at a time when people are already suffering from rising electricity, gas, and food costs will make life more difficult,” Akram said.

He emphasised that LPG was a primary source of energy for many people, particularly in remote and rural areas of the country. “The recent price hike will affect low-income families and make their lives even more difficult,” he added.

The party’s information secretary also warned that any increase in petroleum prices would not only raise transportation costs but would also have a direct impact on the prices of essential goods.

“As a result, the cost of flour, sugar, vegetables, medicines, and other necessities will further rise,” he said.

On the recent situation in the Middle East, Akram said in a separate statement that Pakistan’s declaration to host talks between relevant stakeholders “reflected hope for peace in the region” and emphasised that the world was moving toward dangerous instability, as warned by PTI founder Imran Khan.

He stressed that Pakistan should remain distant from wars and instead play a constructive role in promoting peace.

“According to PTI, the ‘peace model’ is the only viable solution, as wars have proven to be a failed strategy that only destroys economies and pushes people into poverty,” Akram maintained.

He also appreciated China’s role in promoting regional peace and stability. He urged the international community not to ignore Iran’s sovereignty and called for an immediate ceasefire in ongoing conflicts, warning that prolonged wars severely damage economies and leave ordinary citizens facing unbearable hardships.

Akram condemned recent Israeli legislation targeting Palestinians, describing it as “inhumane and unacceptable”. He criticised the government’s silence on the issue and called for a clear and principled diplomatic stance in support of Palestinian rights.