Meeting with Imran Khan postponed until February 8

The Pakistani government has postponed meetings with imprisoned former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan until February 8. The country’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry gave this information on a television talk show on Monday (December 22). Pakistani media outlet Dawn reported this news.
Responding to a question from the host on Geo News’ ‘Capital Talk’, he said that the meeting with Imran will be postponed until February 8. With the meeting in prison closed despite a court order, Imran’s family and his party have expressed concern over the conditions in which he is being held in the PTI jail. A UN special envoy has also warned that Imran is being held in conditions that may amount to inhuman or degrading treatment.
However, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has claimed that the jail is not the headquarters of any political party. At the same time, he has strongly criticized the PTI, accusing it of “spreading hatred” against state institutions and their leaders. Last week, water cannons were used to disperse Imran Khan’s sister, party workers and supporters during a sit-in outside Adiala Jail.
The Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that the prison meetings were being used to plan a major movement in the capital, hence they have been postponed. He claimed that future programs, messages and strategies are being decided in these meetings. Imran Khan has been in jail since August 2023. He is serving a sentence in a corruption case and has multiple cases related to the protests that took place on May 9, 2023.