Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s lawyer Faisal Chaudry was arrested on Friday after using derogatory language toward an official at the jail where Khan has been held for the last 553 days, according to local media.
Chaudry and three other lawyers visited Adiala Jail as per a court order to attend the Anti-Terrorist Court proceedings concerning the signing of Khan’s power of attorney, but jail officials did not permit them to meet with Khan. Chaudry was arrested and then released after two hours.
The court order followed Chaudry’s use of derogatory language toward Adiala Jail Assistant Superintendent Imran Diaz on Thursday when Chaudry had been prohibited from meeting with Khan. Chaudry reportedly registered a complaint against the authorities, asserting his power of attorney was attached to each of Khan’s cases. He further complained that “he was forced to sit in the deputy superintendent’s room for two hours … [and] the jail staff [harassed] him and other petitioners.”
The Pakistan Bar Council published a press release expressing concern over Chaudhry’s arrest, stating:
[L]awyers should be allowed to attend court proceedings and perform their professional duties freely and without any hindrance … [a]dvocates should not be fixed or attached with any political party as they only perform their professional duties to protect the interest of their respective clients as per law.
After being voted out of office in April 2022, the opposition party founder Khan has been in jail since August 2023. Last month, he was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment and fined PKR$1 million for corruption and abuse of power. There are over 150 other cases against Khan since his removal from office. Khan has also been convicted for corruption, revealing state secrets, and unlawful marriage. His prison sentences combined total 48 years, though they are to be served concurrently. Khan asserts that the cases against him are politically motivated.
Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (“PTI”), presses for a global observance of February 8 as “Black Day” to remember the day of Pakistan’s last general election, the results of which PTI calls into question.
