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 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 preside over the case. The bench will take up the cases of cypher, Toshakhana and libel. The court will also hear Punjab’s appeal against the bail of Bushra Bibi.
Sources say a request will be made for access to the PTI founder’s personal doctors.
“The courtroom has limited space,” said Judge Hashim Khan Kakar. “I can feel the lack of oxygen in this room,” he noted. “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, legal proceedings, other related issues and the 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 at the court.
The sisters of Khan, his party and the opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) rejected the government’s charge against them for allegedly obstructing his treatment while their sit-in continued, with protests continuing at two locations in 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 that his eye is not working properly and asked my sister to raise her voice for him and ensure that my treatment becomes possible.”
Read: PTI and TTAP deny government blame on Imran’s treatment, continue sit-in for 5th day
Aleema added that Khan had demanded that his personal doctors be allowed to see 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, consisting of two senior ophthalmologists, Dr. Nadeem Qureshi and Dr. Arif, examined him in the 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 (partially) 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 mild vitreous hemorrhage was noted at the edge of the right eye and moderate retinal hemorrhage in all four quadrants.
The report added that the macular swelling in the right eye was decreasing, with the macular thickness reduced from 550 to 350 microns.
Read more: PTI restarts KP House protest after reviewing Imran’s health report
The board outlined ongoing medication and treatment and recommended OCT angiography and fundus fluorescein angiography after anti-VEGF treatment was completed. However, it made no recommendation for Imran’s transfer to a hospital.
Family, PTI leaders rejected meeting Imran
The agreed time for a meeting with Imran Khan on Tuesday passed without access being granted. Neither family members nor party leaders were allowed to meet him.
Barristers Gohar and Raja left Marble Factory Naka after being turned away, while Aleema and her sisters were unable to go beyond Chakri Interchange. Police also executed arrest warrants for Aleema at Chakri Interchange, which she accepted.
