The Punjab government has imposed a ban on all meetings inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is imprisoned, according to sources reported by Geo News on Monday.
The restriction, which will remain in effect until October 18, is being enforced due to security concerns. During this period, Khan will be prohibited from meeting with party leaders, lawyers, and family members.
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Prison sources explained that the ban on meetings—including those involving other inmates—has been implemented to strengthen security in preparation for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, scheduled to take place in nearby Islamabad from October 15 to 16.
In a letter issued to the district administration and jail authorities in Rawalpindi, the Punjab Home Department outlined additional security directives. The letter highlighted a threat alert from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on October 6 and called for strict security measures to prevent any potential incidents.
The SCO summit is significant, as it will feature the attendance of India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade.
To ensure security during the summit, the federal government has authorized the deployment of the Pakistan Army from October 15 to 17 under Article 245 of the Constitution.
This is not the first time such a ban has been imposed on Adiala Jail. A similar restriction was enacted for two weeks in March due to security concerns.
Khan has been held at Adiala Jail for over a year while facing several legal cases. Earlier this year, the CTD arrested three terrorists in possession of a map of the jail, along with a hand grenade and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). According to Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani, the suspects were from Afghanistan. Additionally, in November 2023, police discovered a suspicious bag containing explosives near Adiala Road, just one kilometer from the facility.