ISLAMABAD: Six PTI leaders were barred from meeting the party’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, after arriving at Adiala jail on Thursday in yet anoth­­er unsuccessful attempt.

A day earlier, PTI lawyer Advocate Awais You­nas Chaudhry had submitted a list of six party leaders intending to meet Imran at Adiala jail on Thursday.

The list, signed by PTI’s Salman Akram Raja, included Muhammad Yar Dumra, Zubair Ahmad Qureshi, Ramzan Khan, Zahid Mehmood, Waheed Khan and Sabeen Younas.

PTI Khyber Pakhtun­khwa Party Management Cell Chief Coordinator Zu­­bair Ahmad Qureshi told Dawn that they reached Adiala jail at 1:45pm as the meeting was supposed to begin at 2pm.

“We waited until 4pm, which was the cut-off time for the meeting. After 4pm, police officials said they had not received approval, so we should leave,” he claimed.

He said it was unfortunate that despite orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), they were not allowed to meet the PTI founder. Mr Qureshi hoped that the situation would soon be streamlined and “the powers that be” would have to accept the power of the masses.

“Another good thing is that opportunists and selfish leaders are leaving the PTI and now only hardcore and loyal workers are left. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with Imran Khan and sooner or later achieve our target, which is the rule of law in Pakistan.”

Qureshi said the denial of the meeting constituted a serious disregard for judicial authority and raised significant concerns about adherence to the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2026