Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry on Monday told the Senate that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) founder and Bushra Bibi had been facilitated with 84 meetings during their incarceration, while there was no restriction on the PTI founder\u2019s sons travelling to Pakistan as both possessed valid National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs).
\nResponding to a point raised by Senator Mashal Azam, the minister said meetings with prisoners were governed by the jail manual, relevant laws and court orders and could not be conducted outside the prescribed legal framework.
\nHe said a three-member bench of the Supreme Court was scheduled to take up a petition concerning the PTI founder\u2019s meetings and medical treatment, adding that the Adiala Jail authorities had submitted a detailed report before the apex court.
\nThe report, he said, contained comprehensive information about the PTI founder\u2019s health, meetings, living conditions and medical facilities being provided to him. Citing the report, Talal Chaudhry said the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi had been provided meetings on 84 occasions.
\nHe said the PTI founder\u2019s conditions in jail and medical care had also previously come under consideration before the Supreme Court, which had nominated a person to visit the prison and examine the situation.
\nThe nominated person subsequently visited the jail and submitted a report, following which the Supreme Court expressed satisfaction over the findings, he added.
\nThe minister said there was a distinction between dealing with the matter in accordance with law and turning it into a political agenda.
\nHe accused PTI of repeatedly spreading rumours about the PTI founder\u2019s health and safety and attempting to generate political sympathy around his incarceration.
\nReferring to claims concerning the PTI founder\u2019s sons, the minister categorically said there was no restriction preventing them from coming to Pakistan. He said nearly three years had passed but they had not travelled to Pakistan to meet their father despite visiting other countries during this period.
\nThe minister also reiterated the government\u2019s willingness to engage the opposition politically, saying the committee constituted by the prime minister for negotiations remained available and the Speaker\u2019s office could facilitate the process.
\nHe urged the opposition to return to political dialogue rather than seek solutions through agitation, saying political differences should be addressed through Parliament and negotiations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry on Monday told the Senate that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) founder and Bushra Bibi had been facilitated with 84 meetings during their incarceration, while there was no restriction on the PTI founder\u2019s sons travelling to Pakistan as both possessed valid National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs). Responding […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467966,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-562382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n