The opposition links prison restrictions to the political crisis; The government cites the legal and judicial framework.
ISLAMABAD:
The issue of access to jailed PTI founder Imran Khan dominated proceedings in both Houses of Parliament on Friday, with the National Assembly witnessing threats of protest from the opposition since Monday, while the Senate saw demands for a parliamentary committee to visit political prisoners.
However, the government firmly rejected the demands, stating that prison administration and meeting arrangements are strictly governed by existing legal and judicial frameworks.
In the National Assembly, opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai demanded clarity on when the PTI founder’s family would be allowed to meet him and when he would receive the treatment of his choice, warning that the opposition would launch protests from Monday if there was no response.
PTI president Advocate Gohar Ali Khan said Imran Khan had been jailed for almost three years and the party was being denied equal treatment despite repeated legal appeals.
He further regretted that the agreed procedures and SOPs ordered by the courts were not being implemented in practice.
“We have gone to the Supreme Court 15 times and the High Court 24 times, but we have not received justice from the courts,” he said, adding that even the agreements made with the president were not being respected. He supported the opposition’s demands and said the party seeks justice for its leadership.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, opposition lawmakers led by Raja Nasir Abbas, Azam Swati and others demanded that a bipartisan parliamentary committee visit Imran Khan and other political prisoners, arguing that denial of access and continued imprisonment were worsening political tensions.
The government, represented by Rana Sanaullah, rejected the proposal, saying there was no constitutional or procedural basis for such a committee and that prison-related matters were already governed through established judicial forums and mechanisms.
The session, chaired by Senator Sherry Rehman, saw intense exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches over Imran Khan’s health, prison conditions and restrictions on gatherings in Adiala Jail.
Opposition senators warned that the continued imprisonment of political workers and denial of access was aggravating the country’s political tensions, while the government defended the existing legal and judicial framework governing prison matters.
Opposition leader Senator Raja Nasir Abbas said political victimization and denial of rights were pushing the country into a deeper crisis.
“By imprisoning political workers, we are shooting ourselves in the foot,” he said, proposing that a bipartisan Senate committee comprising government and opposition lawmakers be allowed to meet Imran Khan and other political prisoners before submitting a report to the House.
“Let everyone oppose whoever prevents us from visiting prisons,” he added, stating that Parliament should not tolerate excesses against politicians.
PTI Senator Azam Swati told the House that the PTI founder had “lost sight in one eye” and urged the state to ensure basic human rights of both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
“We need to unite at this time. Inhumane treatment is never justified,” Swati said, urging the government to “change its decisions and try to improve the situation.”
Senator Faisal Javed also criticized the restrictions on access to Adiala Jail, questioning why medical treatment, including treatment abroad, had previously been arranged for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but not for Imran Khan.
He demanded that PTI leaders and their family members be allowed to meet the jailed party founder.
Responding to criticism from the opposition, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said the government had constantly tried to resolve issues through dialogue, but certain political attitudes had hampered progress.
He maintained that both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were receiving the best medical treatment available in the country and said the jail meetings were being regulated by a mechanism approved by a larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
According to Rana Sanaullah, the agreement allows for meetings twice a week, with separate times for lawyers and family members. He said PTI leaders, including general secretary Salman Akram Raja, had assured the court that the meetings would not be used for political messages or media campaigns.
However, it alleged that the understanding had been repeatedly violated through press conferences and international campaigns targeting state institutions.
“Campaigns against state institutions and their leaders were carried out abroad. Evidence of such activities can be presented when necessary,” he said.
The advisor further claimed that a five-member medical board, constituted on the recommendation of the PTI’s own doctors, had endorsed the treatment being provided to the former prime minister.
Rejecting the opposition’s proposal to set up a parliamentary committee, Rana Sanaullah said there was no provision in the rules of the Senate or the National Assembly that would allow such interference in executive matters related to prison administration. He added that there were already legal and judicial forums for complaints about prison conditions or access.
Referring to the May 9 riots, he said attacks on state institutions could not be ignored and those responsible would face consequences.
Noting that an “action” that succeeds is called a revolution, he said that a failed attempt to achieve a revolution was tantamount to betrayal and carried consequences. He added that repeated attempts to march on Islamabad and confront the state had further strained the political atmosphere.
The Senate session was subsequently adjourned until Monday evening.
