Zardari plea: Commissioner can issue permission for meeting in jail, LHC informed

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday heard petition over the ban on People’s Party leaders’ meeting with former president Asif Ali Zardari in Adiala Jail, ARY News reported.

Justice Shahid Waheed heard a petition filed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira seeking court directions for meeting with the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in jail.

Superintendent Adiala Jail informed the court that the chief commissioner of Islamabad have authority to grant permission for meeting (with a prisoner in jail).

The bench directed the AAG to get instructions from Commissioner Islamabad over the matter and appear before the court tomorrow (Thursday).

The court in a previous hearing directed the I.G. Prisons Punjab to submit reply over the ban on party leaders’ meeting with Asif Ali Zardari in jail.

The petitioner submitted that former president Zardari was imprisoned at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi and authorities concerned were not allowing him and other party leaders to meet with him in jail despite various requests for the purpose. He submitted that a meeting can be held with any prisoner as per the law but the authorities not granting permission for meeting with the party leader.

“His state of health is poor and the party leaders are concerned about his health condition,” the petition said.