ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad administration has filed an appeal challenging the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict that deemed the prohibition on political discussions between prisoners and their visitors unconstitutional, ARY News reported.
The administration, through the chief commissioner’s office, submitted an intra-court appeal to overturn the decision by a single bench.
A division bench, led by Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Saman Riffat, is set to hear the appeal on Tuesday.
Previously, on October 31, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan ruled that restrictions on political discussions violated the fundamental right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Pakistan’s constitution.
This decision followed a petition from PTI leaders who were restricted from discussing political matters with their detained leader Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, leading to a challenge of Section 265 of the jail rules.
PTI’s Sher Afzal Marwat petitioned the IHC to revoke Section 265. The court dismissed objections raised by the Advocate General on the petition’s maintainability and issued the ruling.
Despite being asked to respond three months prior, the Punjab government had yet to submit its reply.
