Court says proper medical treatment ongoing per jail rules as PTI demands access to personal doctors
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan. Photo: File
RAWALPINDI:
The Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Saturday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former premier Imran Khan’s request for a medical checkup by his personal physicians.
Judge Amjad Shah announced the reserved verdict, with the court stating that, in accordance with jail rules, Khan’s proper medical treatment is ongoing. The judge delivered a brief verdict.
Judge Shah heard the petition, which pleaded that the medical examination be conducted by physicians Dr Asim, Dr Khurram, and Dr Samina. The defence counsel argued that medical examination by personal physicians is a constitutional, legal, and moral right. It was also argued that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was provided access to personal physicians.
Read: Imran’s sisters dispute govt claim of furnishing report, urge CJP to initiate contempt proceedings
Under Jail Rule 795, the administration is bound to inform the family about any kind of medical checkup, the defence argued. Further, the counsel said Imran Khan is a former prime minister, arguing that this is his fundamental right.
Speaking to the media outside the ATC, Khan’s lawyer, Faisal Malik, said the Superintendent of Adiala Jail did not submit a medical report but stated that the PTI founder’s treatment is ongoing.
The verdict comes after much back-and-forth between PTI and the federal government over Khan’s health. After reports emerged that the PTI founder was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for eye treatment, the party stated that Khan’s family and lawyers were uninformed of his transfer to hospital, or of his medical condition.
PIMS previously confirmed that Imran Khan was brought to the hospital, where, after his consent was obtained, he was administered an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection to treat a right central retinal vein occlusion. PTI rejected PIMS’ report on Khan’s eye treatment, demanding that he be treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital and that his family be allowed to meet him.
Read More: Govt unveils report on Imran’s eye treatment
PTI leaders had also held a day-long sit-in outside the Supreme Court, managing to secure assurances that authorities would provide Imran Khan’s medical report to his family.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja had held a 30-minute meeting with CJP Afridi, during which PTI’s concerns were formally conveyed. The chief justice, along with the attorney general and the SC registrar, had assured that the medical reports would be provided to Imran Khan and his sisters, and that his personal physicians would be granted access to him once the reports were received.
