Law minister explains rules on Imran Khan’s prison meetings

ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar has defended the government’s position on meetings with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in prison.

He said matters that are pending before the courts should generally not be debated in parliament. However, he noted that the Senate was discussing such issues.

Tarar made the remarks during a Senate session. Lawmakers were debating Imran Khan’s health and concerns over restrictions on meetings with him.

The minister said cases related to the May 9 incidents and other cases involving Imran Khan were before the courts. He said the PTI founder and other individuals had filed appeals against decisions in their cases.

According to Tarar, several legal matters remain pending before different judicial forums. He said the delay in deciding appeals and cases was a broader problem within the judicial system.

The law minister pointed to delays in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases. He said some NAB appeals had remained undecided for as long as six years.

He said Imran Khan’s petitions and applications were also pending before the relevant courts. Therefore, he argued, those matters should be addressed through the judicial process.

Tarar also referred to the cases involving former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He said Sharif had been convicted by the courts and later challenged the decisions through appeals.

He added that relief was subsequently granted to Sharif by the judiciary itself. The minister said this showed that legal disputes should be settled through the courts.

The Senate debate also focused on Imran Khan’s access to visitors in prison.

Tarar said prison authorities had to follow the jail manual. He said the rules applied to all prisoners and could not be changed for one individual.

He argued that if special permission was given to one prisoner, similar requests from other prisoners would also have to be considered.

The minister said the government wanted a system in which everyone was treated equally before the law. He referred to the principle that the powerful and ordinary citizens should stand on the same footing.

His remarks came after opposition lawmakers demanded that the Senate discuss Imran Khan’s health and the restrictions on meetings with him.

Senator Raja Nasir Abbas had specifically called for a discussion on the PTI founder’s health.

The issue has remained a major point of political disagreement between the government and PTI. The opposition has repeatedly raised concerns about Imran Khan’s health and access to family members, lawyers and political leaders.

Tarar maintained that the government’s position was based on existing legal and prison procedures. He said pending court cases should not be settled through political debate.