Tarar vows strict action against anyone found disturbing law and order outside Adiala jail
\n islamabad
\nInformation Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday said the government has stopped Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan\u2019s sister, Uzma Khan, from meeting him at Adiala jail.
\nAddressing a press conference along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar in Islamabad, the information minister vowed strict action against anyone found disturbing law and order outside the Rawalpindi prison.
\n\u201cThere should be no doubt that directives have been issued to maintain law and order outside the jail. Anyone found disturbing the peace will be dealt with iron hands,\u201d he added.
\nTarar assailed the PTI for spreading unfounded claims about Khan\u2019s health, saying that Uzma herself confirmed the former premier was safe and sound.
\n\u201cNo prisoner has ever been provided a jogging machine,\u201d Tarar said, while accusing a female PTI leader of feeding Indian and Afghan media with claims that the PTI founder\u2019s life was under threat.
\nReferring to the PTI founder\u2019s past remarks, Tarar said that Khan \u2014 during his premiership \u2014 used to \u201crun his hand over his face and say he would get so and so arrested, remove their AC\u201d.
\nTarar further said that the international media was being used to push propaganda against Pakistan.
\n\u201cHis [PTI founder] three sisters create law and order situations outside the jail. This cannot continue \u2014 you meet inside and run propaganda outside. You were given an opportunity, and whoever violated the rules has had their meetings stopped.\u201d
\nThe minister said that they, too, used to visit prisoners, but \u201cnever created a law and order situation\u201d.
\nTarar vowed to establish the writ of the state, saying there would be no more \u201cspectacles outside Adiala every day\u201d.
\n\u201cMeetings have a purpose \u2014 to ask about well being,\u201d he said, adding that the PTI founder, during the meetings, says that the state should be brought down.
\n\u201cYou want to weaken the country\u2019s defence? Damage its sovereignty? You want to challenge a state that defeated India?\u201d he asked.
\nThe minister then assailed the former premier over what he called his \u201chypocrisy\u201d and \u201cso many U turns\u201d.
\n\u201cA person should have character. He [Khan] has neither character nor manliness,\u201d Tarar said.
\nHis remarks came shortly after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was denied a meeting with Khan for the ninth time since his election to the top seat in the province.
\nAuthorities, however, had allowed Uzma to meet the former premier on December 2 after the PTI raised concerns about his health.
\n\u2018Jail superintendent\u2019s prerogative\u2019
\nPrior to Tarar\u2019s talk, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified that restrictions on meetings with the PTI founder were being enforced under the Pakistan Prison Rules, stressing that the matter squarely fell within the domain of the Punjab government, which oversees Adiala jail.
\nAzam said the prison administration was legally bound to follow the Constitution and relevant laws. \u201cThe PTI founder is a convicted prisoner by a competent court of jurisdiction,\u201d he noted, adding that his visitation rights were determined entirely by the jail manual.
\nCiting Rule 265 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, the minister said meetings for a superior-class prisoner were limited to one a week and capped at six visitors.
\nHe added that the rule barred political discussions during such interactions and prohibited the publicity of conversations or letters, including through press conferences or social media posts.
\nThe minister also pointed to Rule 548, which requires that all prisoner meetings be held under the supervision of the jail superintendent, while Rule 557 empowers the supervising officer to terminate a meeting if the conversation or conduct is deemed prejudicial to public order or peace.
\nAccording to Azam, Rule 560 allows the jail superintendent to stop meetings if he believes the interaction could become public in a way that may incite unrest. He further referenced Rule 561, which pertains to the abuse of privilege.
\n\u201cThe entire set of rules gives a prominent and central role to the jail superintendent,\u201d the minister said, reiterating that all procedures were being carried out in accordance with established regulations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tarar vows strict action against anyone found disturbing law and order outside Adiala jail islamabad Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday said the government has stopped Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan\u2019s sister, Uzma Khan, from meeting him at Adiala jail. Addressing a press conference along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar in Islamabad, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-518172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n