Pakistan, Oct. 23 -- The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reinstated the ban on political discussions among prisoners, reversing a previous single-bench decision that had declared the restriction unconstitutional. The larger bench, led by Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, issued the suspension after hearing an intra-court appeal filed by the Punjab government. The earlier ruling by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan had stated that the prohibition violated inmates' constitutional right to freedom of expression under the Punjab Prison Rules.

During the proceedings, Punjab Advocate General Amjad Pervaiz argued that political debates among inmates could disrupt prison order and security, emphasizing that jails were not designed for political a...