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 set to hear three cases related to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former premier Imran Khan at 11:30am on Wednesday (today).
A three-member bench headed by Justice Hashim Khan Kakar will conduct the proceedings. The bench will take up the cypher, Toshakhana, and defamation cases. The court will also hear Punjab’s appeal against the bail granted to Bushra Bibi.
Sources say a request will be made seeking access for the PTI founder’s personal physicians.
“The courtroom has limited space,” Justice Hashim Khan Kakar said. “I can feel a shortage of oxygen in this room,” he remarked. “We will hear your cases in court number 2,” he told Khan’s lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar.
Several political leaders and lawyers arrived at the court ahead of the hearing, including National Assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Senate opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas, and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, and Barrister Ali Zafar were also present.
Sohail Afridi held an important meeting with the sisters of Imran Khan ahead of the Supreme Court hearing. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on Khan’s health, court matters, other related issues, and the challenges being faced in this regard.
Senior lawyers Latif Khosa and Salman Akram Raja also reached the Supreme Court. In addition, PTI leaders, including Ali Muhammad Khan, arrived at the court.
The sisters of Khan, his party and the opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) rejected the government’s blaming them for allegedly obstructing his treatment as their sit-in continued, with protests continuing at two locations within the Red Zone of the federal capital.
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 is not working properly and asked my sister to raise her voice for him and ensure that my treatment is made possible.”
Read: PTI and TTAP reject govt blame on 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 both doctors for review.
Calling the government’s actions “criminal rather than mere negligence”, Aleema said they were deliberate and reiterated her call for Khan’s treatment at Shifa International Hospital.
PTI rejects medical report
The federal government’s constituted medical board reported an improvement in Khan’s right-eye vision. The board, 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 mild vitreous haemorrhage at the edge of the right eye and moderate retinal haemorrhage in all four quadrants.
The report added that swelling in the macula of the right eye was subsiding, with macular thickness reduced from 550 to 350 microns.
Read more: PTI restarts K-P House protest after reviewing Imran’s health report
The board outlined ongoing medication and treatment and recommended OCT angiography and fundus fluorescein angiography after completing anti-VEGF therapy. However, it made no recommendation for Imran’s transfer to a hospital.
Family, PTI leaders denied meeting with Imran
The designated time for a meeting with Imran Khan on Tuesday passed without any access being granted. Neither family members nor any party leaders were permitted to meet him.
Barrister Gohar and Raja departed from Marble Factory Naka after being turned away, while Aleema and her sisters were unable to proceed beyond Chakri Interchange. Police also executed arrest warrants for Aleema at Chakri Interchange, which she accepted.
