Imran Khan Meets Lawyers at Adiala Jail Following IHC Order

RAWALPINDI: (Court Reporter0 – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan met his lawyers, Sardar Latif Khosa and Barrister Salman Safdar, at Adiala Jail on Wednesday following an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order allowing legal consultations with him and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

The lawyers entered the prison after the court directed jail authorities to arrange one-hour meetings with their respective clients. The permission was granted amid concerns raised before the court regarding Bushra Bibi’s health and medical treatment during her incarceration.

Speaking to reporters before entering the prison, Barrister Salman Safdar said his meeting with Imran Khan would focus exclusively on legal matters.

He said he intended to seek instructions from the PTI founder regarding his pending cases, ruling out any political discussion during the consultation.

The meetings followed directions issued by a two-member IHC bench headed by Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar during hearings on appeals challenging the convictions in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.

The bench allowed Sardar Latif Khosa, counsel for Bushra Bibi, and Salman Safdar, Imran Khan’s lawyer, to meet their respective clients at Adiala Jail.

The court directed prison authorities to facilitate one-hour consultations. It initially granted permission for Khosa to meet Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan before allowing Safdar to meet the PTI founder.

Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar told Safdar that the permission had been granted in accordance with the law, while cautioning him against subsequently seeking approval to include five additional people in the list of visitors allowed to meet Imran Khan.

The chief justice also questioned the need for another consultation, observing that Safdar had met Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi only a few days earlier.

In response, the lawyer said the previous meeting had taken place but the time available was insufficient to discuss all relevant legal matters, making another consultation necessary.

Bushra Bibi’s Medical Treatment

During the hearing, the court also examined concerns about Bushra Bibi’s health and the medical facilities being provided to her in prison.

Safdar previously informed the bench that Bushra Bibi had told him during an earlier meeting that prison authorities had taken her for surgery around six months ago and that another operation was scheduled for November 15.

He requested the formation of a medical board to examine her condition and determine her treatment requirements. The lawyer also told the court that prison authorities had acknowledged before the Supreme Court that Bushra Bibi was suffering from an eye condition.

Safdar clarified that he had not yet filed a bail application on medical grounds. He argued that courts traditionally take a considerate approach in cases involving women and maintained that Bushra Bibi was not receiving adequate medical treatment in prison.

He also indicated that he intended to begin arguments on the appeals after her medical treatment had been completed.

Islamabad Advocate General Naveed Malik, however, informed the court that Bushra Bibi was receiving medical care in prison. He maintained that access to healthcare was a fundamental right and that the government was fulfilling its responsibilities.

The advocate general also submitted details of the medical facilities and treatment provided to her.

Safdar urged the court to seek further information from prison authorities, arguing that Bushra Bibi had been returned to her cell on the same day as her surgery, despite doctors having performed the procedure on an emergency basis.

He questioned the decision to send her back to her cell immediately after emergency surgery, saying it raised concerns about the medical arrangements.

The advocate general subsequently informed the bench that a medical board had examined Bushra Bibi on November 8, outlining the government’s position on the healthcare arrangements during her imprisonment.