The right to meet one’s lawyer and family is not a privilege;

USPA NEWS - Lahore, Pakistan – 1 December 2025

The Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) and the undersigned legal team express grave concern over the continued denial of regular, confidential legal and family access to former Prime Minister Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi and his spouse Bushra Bibi, detained at Central Jail, Adiala, Rawalpindi, in defiance of constitutional guarantees and binding court orders, including the Islamabad High Court’s order dated 12.09.2024 in Writ Petition No. 2200 of 2024. This persistent non-compliance raises serious questions about the rule of law, Pakistan’s adherence to its international human rights obligations, and the integrity of its justice system.

Despite repeated written representations and earlier permitted meetings, counsel has once again been arbitrarily denied access to Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi and Bushra Bibi to inspect the facilities being provided to them and to take instructions in pending criminal and constitutional proceedings.

The denial of access violates Articles 9, 10, 10A, 14 and 25 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Pakistan Prison Rules 1978 (including Rules 61, 64 and 90), the Prisons Act 1894, the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act 2022, and Pakistan’s obligations under the UDHR, ICCPR, UNCAT, the Nelson Mandela Rules and cognate international standards protecting detainees from arbitrary, inhuman and degrading treatment.

The situation is further aggravated by the denial and restriction of family visits, which has caused significant psychological distress and amounts to discriminatory and politically motivated treatment when compared to other superior-class prisoners -

who continue to receive visits as per law. The absence of any written, reasoned security assessment or lawful basis for these restrictions underscores the arbitrariness of the authorities’ conduct and exposes state functionaries to potential contempt proceedings, criminal liability, and international scrutiny.

The right to meet one’s lawyer and family is not a privilege; it is the cornerstone of a fair trial and humane detention,” said Mr. Muhammad Azhar Siddique, Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan and Chairman JAP, calling upon the federal and provincial governments to ensure immediate compliance with the Islamabad High Court’s directions and Pakistan’s human rights commitments.

JAP reiterates that continued non-compliance will compel recourse to all available domestic and international mechanisms, including contempt petitions before the Islamabad High Court and complaints to UN human rights bodies and international monitoring mechanisms, to safeguard the dignity and rights of detainees at Adiala Jail. About Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) Judicial Activism Panel is a public interest legal initiative based in Lahore, Pakistan, engaged in constitutional litigation, rule of law advocacy, and monitoring of human rights compliance, with a particular focus on access to justice, fair trial guarantees, and custodial rights of detainees across Pakistan. PRESS RELEASE (attached case of denial of access at Adiala Jail ) For Immediate Release