ISLAMABAD: Lawyers representing the PTI met party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday, a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered authorities to facilitate the meeting.
On Tuesday, the IHC, while hearing appeals filed by the PTI founder and his wife, Bushra Bibi, against their convictions in the £190 million reference, directed authorities to facilitate meetings between Mr Khan and his legal team.
PTI lawyer Awais Younus Chaudhry told Dawn that Barrister Salman Safdar and Advocate Latif Khosa had met Mr Khan.
‘As per orders of the court, the meeting was held to discuss under-trialcases,’ Mr Chaudhry said.
The lawyers remained at Adiala jail for four hours and left without speaking to the media, he said.
However, a video subsequently circulated on social media showed Mr Khosa speaking about the meeting. He said it had lasted three to four hours and confirmed that Bushra Bibi was also present.
Mr Khosa said the lawyers had discussed the couple’s health and legal cases. ‘Tomorrow [Thursday] we will issue it in writing [which will be submitted in the court] and everyone will come to know about it,’ he said.
Asked about Mr Khan’s health, Mr Khosa said he had problems with his blood pressure and eyesight. ‘Blood pressure fluctuates and goes to dangerous levels. However, hewas active and had determination,’ he added.
Asked whether the 28th Amendment had also been discussed, Mr Khosa confirmed that it had but declined to share details.
When asked why the lawyers had been allowed to meet Imran Khan for so long, Mr Khosa laughed and said the question should be put to the jail administration.
His remarks triggered a debate within the PTI, with some leaders expressing concern that confirming discussion of the 28th Amendment could compromise the party’s position and create an impression that it wanted to strike a deal with the powers that be.
One party leader said Mr Khosa’s statement could give the impression that the PTI was seeking a deal with the establishment.
Another party leader said that although Mr Khosa should not have spoken to the media, he had not disclosed the details of the conversation. ‘Khosa is a seasoned politician and he knows how to deal with any situation with the media and even within the court,’ the leader said.
Mr Safdar also said in a social media post that Mr Khan had given clear instructions that he would continue to represent the couple in the main appeals in the Al-Qadir Trust case before the IHC.
He added that Mr Khosa would assist him in proceedings before the IHC on Bushra Bibi’s pending petition concerning her eye condition.
Eye procedure Wednesday’s meeting took place hours after the former prime minister was again taken to the Pakistan Institute ofMedical Sciences (Pims) for treatment of an eye ailment.
‘Imran Khan was brought from Adiala jail in Rawalpindi to Pims in Islamabad during the night between Nov 10 and 11 for a medical check-up and followup eye treatment on the advice of the ophthalmologist treating him,’ a hospital official told Dawn.
The official said that before the procedure, Mr Khan underwent a medical examination, including an ocular assessment.
‘His vital parameters were found to be normal. He was clinically stable, and his general physical examination was unremarkable,’ the official said.
‘After obtaining informed consent and following standard monitoring procedures, precautionary measures and clinical protocols, an ophthalmology team administered an intravitreal anti-VEGF injection.
He added that the PTI founder remained ‘clinically stable before, during and after the procedure’.Mr Khan was discharged at around 2:30am with instructions for further care and follow-up, according to the official.
Later, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the party had learnt about Mr Khan’s medical check-up through the media. He reiterated the demand that the former prime minister be taken to Shifa International Hospital, a private hospital in Islamabad, for a comprehensive medical examination.
‘We reiterate our longstanding demand for the immediate and full implementation of the Supreme Court’s order dated Aug 18, which directed that Imran Khan be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for medical examination and treatment, and that a medical board be constituted, comprising, among others, his personal physician, with the inclusion of a family member,’ he said.
‘Regrettably, this order has remained unimplemented for nearly three months,’ he added.