IHC orders lawyers' meeting with Imran

ISLAMABAD:

Sardar Latif Khosa and Salman Safdar, lead counsels of former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi are scheduled to meet their clients in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail today (Wednesday) at 3pm. The meeting is likely to last one hour.

A division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif on Tuesday directed authorities to facilitate the meeting while hearing Imran and Bushra's appeals against their January 2026 conviction in £190m case.

During the hearing of the case, Safdar told the court that on November 3, he was allowed to meet PTI founder Imran Khan after seven months and his wife, Bushra Bibi, after 11 months.

He said Bushra asked him where he had been for the past 11 months. "It is a difficult situation for a professional lawyer. Lawyers should be allowed to meet their clients in jail regularly," he said.

Presenting arguments about the health of Imran and Bushra, Safdar said the condition of the PTI founder's eyes had improved, but his blood pressure remained uncontrolled. Imran told him that uncontrolled blood pressure could put him at risk of a brain haemorrhage, he added.

Safdar said Bushra Bibi's eyesight was in a very poor condition. She had been taken for surgery six months ago and was scheduled to undergo another operation on November 15, he added.

He argued that Bushra Bibi could not receive proper treatment in jail, saying that the female prisoner was returned to her cell on the very day she underwent surgery. Doctors had performed the operation in an emergency, and sending her back to jail immediately afterwards was not appropriate, he said.

"It is not right that I keep arguing the appeals while my client loses her eyesight," Safdar told the court.

He said if the court could not grant her bail, it could grant her bail for four to six weeks to receive medical treatment. He also requested the formation of a medical board and called for complete medical records to be obtained from Adiala Jail.

Islamabad Advocate General Naveed Malik told the court that Bushra Bibi was being treated in jail and had been provided all necessary medical facilities. He also submitted a record of the treatment provided to her, saying that a medical board visited her for a check-up even on November 8.

Chief Justice Dogar said he had heard Safdar patiently and in detail, but the matter concerning the health of the two prisoners was pending before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). Safdar responded that no matter concerning Bushra was pending before the FCC.

Safdar also requested the court to provide paper books for preparing the appeals and grant him time to prepare his arguments. He said the paper books had not yet been prepared or provided to the defence.

The chief justice said the lawyers would be given the paper books and time to prepare their cases.

Sardar Latif Khosa told the court that he had earlier requested a meeting with Imran Khan and had assured it that he would not seek another adjournment if the meeting was arranged. However, he was still waiting to meet his client, he said.

The CJ asked Khosa how long he wanted the meeting to last. Khosa requested at least one hour. Justice Dogar said Khosa could present arguments on the appeals next week after meeting his client.

Safdar also requested another jail meeting with Imran Khan, saying that although he had met him and received instructions, the meeting had not been sufficient. The chief justice observed that Safdar had already been allowed to meet his client and said he was issuing an order only for Khosa's meeting.

The Islamabad advocate general said meetings could be arranged for both lawyers if they assured the court that arguments would begin at the next hearing.

The court directed that both lawyers be allowed to meet their clients in jail and adjourned the hearing.

According to sources, the state law officer and the lawyers later agreed that a one-hour meeting between the lawyers and the jailed couple would take place today (Wednesday) at 3pm.