IHC refers Afridi’s petition seeking meeting with Imran for provincial budget consultations to chief justice

The Islamabad High Court has forwarded a request for provincial officials to meet with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan to the chief justice. The petition, filed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Finance Adviser Muzammil Aslam, sought permission for consultations on the upcoming provincial budget.

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro referred the case to the chief justice, citing that several similar petitions regarding jail meetings with the PTI founder were already pending before a larger bench. The petitioners had challenged objections from the Registrar’s Office, arguing their request for a budget consultation meeting was distinct and urgent.

Advocate Ali Bukhari, representing the petitioners, highlighted that previous judicial orders in similar matters were on record. He contended that the necessity of a consultative meeting for budget preparation should be judicially determined, not dismissed by administrative objections. The Registrar’s Office presented a report listing pending petitions concerning jail meetings with Khan.

Imran Khan, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. He faces charges related to concealing details of Toshakhana gifts and a £190 million corruption case. Previous attempts by the KP chief minister and his cabinet to meet Khan in jail have been unsuccessful, including being stopped by police last month.

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The KP chief minister has made regular attempts to visit the PTI leader in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, but has been unsuccessful in securing a meeting.