Summary The Islamabad High Court ordered one-hour meetings between Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and their lawyers at Adiala Jail amid health concerns.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed former prime minister Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, and his wife Bushra Bibi’s counsel, Sardar Latif Khosa, to meet their respective clients at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
The court directed jail authorities to arrange a one-hour meeting between the lawyers and their clients tomorrow.
The order was issued by a two-member bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar during the hearing of appeals challenging the convictions in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.
During the proceedings, the court told Salman Safdar that the meeting permission was being granted in accordance with the law. The bench cautioned that the lawyers should not subsequently seek permission to include five additional individuals in the list of visitors allowed to meet Imran Khan at Adiala Jail.
Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar questioned Salman Safdar about the need for another meeting, noting that he had met Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi a few days earlier.
In response, Safdar explained that although the previous meeting had taken place, the time allocated was insufficient, making another meeting necessary.
The court initially permitted Sardar Latif Khosa to meet Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan before granting similar permission to Salman Safdar to meet his client.
The IHC directed that the meetings be held at Adiala Jail for one hour.
Bushra Bibi's Health Concerns Raised
Earlier, during the hearing, Salman Safdar informed the court that Bushra Bibi had told him during their previous meeting that prison authorities had taken her for surgery six months ago and that another operation was scheduled for November 15.
He requested the formation of a medical board to assess her health, adding that prison authorities had also acknowledged before the Supreme Court that Bushra Bibi was suffering from an eye condition.
Safdar said he had not yet filed a bail application on medical grounds. He emphasized that courts traditionally adopt a considerate approach in cases involving women.
He further argued that Bushra Bibi could not receive adequate treatment in prison and said he would begin arguments on the appeals once her medical treatment was completed.
Islamabad Advocate General Naveed Malik told the court that Bushra Bibi was receiving medical treatment in prison, adding that access to healthcare was a fundamental right and that the government was fulfilling its responsibilities.
He also submitted details of the medical facilities and treatment provided to Bushra Bibi.
Salman Safdar requested the court to seek further details from prison authorities. He argued that Bushra Bibi had been returned to her prison cell on the same day as her surgery, despite doctors having performed the procedure on an emergency basis.
He maintained that immediately returning her to the cell after emergency surgery was inappropriate.
The Advocate General informed the court that a medical board had also visited Bushra Bibi for a medical examination on November 8.
