F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday established a three-member commission of lawyers to oversee the jail trial and meetings of the PTI founder.
The court also permitted the PTI founder’s lawyer to bring three associates to the trial. During the hearing, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq addressed concerns about restrictions on lawyers entering Adiala Jail. He remarked that preventing a prisoner from meeting their lawyer is a contempt of court, as private discussions between a prisoner and their lawyer must remain confidential.
The jail superintendent explained that lawyers face no obstacles entering the jail, but lawyers raised concerns about vehicles being parked far from the jail and lack of drinking water.
Meanwhile, the NAB prosecutor clarified that the case did not involve NAB, but related to the petitioner and jail authorities. Justice Ishaq criticized the security arrangements, particularly the policy of parking lawyers’ vehicles a kilometer away. He argued that lawyers should be dropped off at the jail gate, suggesting that security concerns were often exaggerated.
The jail superintendent explained that space constraints made it difficult to accommodate all the lawyers, but the court dismissed this, stating that the decision to hold the trial in jail was made without considering these issues. Justice Ishaq remarked that if the petitioner wanted to bring a large number of lawyers, they should be allowed, and the public presence in the courtroom should be reduced accordingly.
