Reply sought on plea for PPP leaders’ meeting with Asif Ali Zardari

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought reply from Punjab Inspector General of Prisons on a petition challenging undeclared ban on Pakistan People’s Party leaders’ meeting with former president Asif Ali Zardari in Adiala Jail.

Justice Shahid Waheed heard the petition filed by PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira seeking court directions for meeting with imprisoned party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

The petitioner argued that former president Zardari was imprisoned at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi in connection with NAB cases and authorities concerned were not allowing him and other party leaders to meet him despite various requests made in this regard. He pointed out that a meeting could be held with any prisoner as per the prison rules but the authorities were 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. Qamar Zaman Kaira pleaded to the court for issuance of instructions to the authorities in this regard.

After hearing preliminary arguments, the court issued notice to IGP Prisons and asked him to furnish reply. Earlier, the LHC Registrar’s office put objection to filing of the petition at its

principal seat. The petition was fixed before Justice Shahid Waheed as objection case. However, the court, after hearing arguments of the petitioner’s counsel, overruled the objection, saying the case could be heard at principal seat.