The Punjab government on Monday banned all visitations for prisoners in Adiala jail until Oct. 18, citing security concerns arising from the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad.
Lawyers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated at Adiala, have challenged the ban. In their petition, the lawyers have argued the restrictions violate court orders permitting Khan to meet his lawyers, various political personalities and family members twice a week.
Local media has reported that the ban is aimed at addressing security concerns in light of the upcoming SCO summit, scheduled to occur in Islamabad from Oct. 15-16. The government has announced a “closed” holiday for Oct. 15-17 for the federal capital to ensure the security of visiting foreign dignitaries and avoid any disruptions to traffic for the general public.
Earlier, the Punjab Home Department issued a letter to Adiala Jail calling for strict security arrangements and preventive measures to deal with any untoward incident.
Islamabad has deemed the SCO summit a key event for Pakistan, as it would include the participation of various foreign heads of state, as well as India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the first such visit to Pakistan by a senior Indian official in nearly 10 years.
As part of the security measures, the federal government has called in the Pakistan Army to provide security in Islamabad under Article 245 of the Constitution from Oct. 5-17.
Earlier this year, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) had claimed the arrest of three terrorists, adding it had recovered a map of Adiala Jail from their custody, as well as a hand grenade and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Similarly, in November 2023, police had found a suspicious bag laden with explosives device near Adiala Road in Gorakhpur.