Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi held an important meeting with the sisters of PTI founder Imran Khan ahead of the Supreme Court hearing. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court of Pakistan is scheduled to hear three cases related to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan at 11:30 am on Wednesday (today).
A three-member bench headed by Justice Hashim Khan Kakar will conduct the proceedings. The court will take up the encryption, Toshakhana and defamation cases. The court will also hear Punjab’s appeal against the bail granted to Bushra Bibi.
Sources say an application will be filed seeking access to the PTI founder’s personal doctors.
“The courtroom has limited space,” said Justice Hashim Khan Kakar. “I feel a lack of oxygen in this room,” he remarked. “We will hear your cases in court number 2,” he told Khan’s lawyer, advocate Salman Safdar.
Several political leaders and lawyers arrived at the court before the hearing, including National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas and PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan’s lawyer. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri and lawyer Ali Zafar were also present.
Sohail Afridi held an important meeting with Imran Khan’s sisters ahead of the Supreme Court hearing. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on Khan’s health, court affairs, other related issues and challenges faced in this regard.
Senior advocates Latif Khosa and Salman Akram Raja also reached the Supreme Court. Additionally, PTI leaders including Ali Muhammad Khan arrived in court.
Khan’s sisters, her party and the opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) rejected the government’s blaming them for allegedly obstructing her treatment as their sit-in continued, with protests continuing in two locations in the federal capital’s red zone.
Aleema Khan said on Tuesday that Bushra Bibi’s daughter and sister-in-law met her today and conveyed a message from Khan. Quoting him, she said: “He said his eye was not working properly and asked my sister to raise her voice for him and ensure that my treatment was made possible.”
Read: PTI, TTAP reject govt’s responsibility for Imran’s treatment, continue sit-in for 5th day
Aleema added that Khan had demanded that his personal doctors be allowed to meet him. He also requested that his blood reports be sent to the two doctors for review.
Calling the government’s actions “criminal rather than simple negligence”, Aleema said they were deliberate and reiterated her call for Khan’s treatment at Shifa International Hospital.
PTI rejects medical report
The medical board constituted by the federal government reported improvement in the vision in Khan’s right eye. The committee, comprising two senior ophthalmologists, Dr Nadeem Qureshi and Dr Arif, examined him at Adiala jail on Sunday.
According to the two-page report, unaided vision in Khan’s right eye was recorded at 6/24 (partial), while the left eye measured 6/9. With glasses, vision improved to 6/9 (partial) in the right eye and 6/6 in the left. The report stated that the anterior segment of both eyes was normal and the cornea was clear, while noting a slight vitreous hemorrhage at the edge of the right eye and a moderate retinal hemorrhage in all four quadrants.
The report adds that swelling in the macula of the right eye is easing, with macular thickness reduced from 550 to 350 microns.
Learn more: PTI revives KP House protest after reviewing Imran’s health report
The board described current medications and treatment and recommended OCT angiography and fundus fluorescein angiography after completing anti-VEGF therapy. However, he made no recommendation regarding Imran’s transfer to a hospital.
Family and PTI leaders denied meeting Imran
The scheduled time for a meeting with Imran Khan on Tuesday passed without any access being granted. Neither his family members nor party leaders were allowed to meet him.
Lawyers Gohar and Raja left Marble Factory Naka after being turned away, while Aleema and her sisters could not go beyond Chakri Interchange. Police also executed arrest warrants for Aleema at Chakri Interchange, which she accepted.
