Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday allowed PTI counsel Salman Safdar to meet jailed party founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail after appointing him as amicus curiae (friend of the court).
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The decision came a day after an “urgent” request for a meeting with Imran Khan, filed by senior PTI leader Latif Khosa, was rejected by a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. The bench had observed that such an order could not be issued without hearing the government’s position and had subsequently issued a notice.
When the hearing resumed on Tuesday, CJP Afridi appointed Salman Safdar as amicus curiae and directed him to visit Adiala Jail the same day. The court instructed Safdar to submit a written report by Wednesday regarding the living conditions of the former prime minister.
PTI counsel Latif Khosa and Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan appeared before the court. At the start of proceedings, the chief justice barred Khosa from addressing the bench, while the attorney general informed the court that a written response had already been submitted in compliance with an earlier Supreme Court order dated August 24, 2023.
The attorney general said that the court had previously directed him to submit a report on Imran Khan’s living conditions while he was incarcerated at Attock Jail. He added that a detailed report, along with a medical assessment covering the period from August 5 to August 18, 2023, had been submitted on August 28.
However, CJP Afridi remarked that no subsequent order on record had fully satisfied the court, prompting the appointment of an independent amicus curiae. The chief justice said the court had “full faith” in Salman Safdar and directed that he be given full access to Imran Khan, without any delay at the jail.
Safdar sought clarification on whether the scope of his report could include health concerns, citing reports of a recent medical procedure. The chief justice clarified that the report should be limited strictly to Imran Khan’s living conditions.
Towards the end of the hearing, Latif Khosa again requested permission to meet Imran Khan, but the court rejected the plea. The matter was adjourned until February 12.
Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 5, 2023, and is currently held at Rawalpindi’s Central Jail, Adiala. Last week, PTI submitted a memorandum to the Supreme Court registrar seeking immediate visitation rights for Imran Khan’s family, doctors, lawyers, and friends, alleging repeated violations of his rights as a prisoner and as a human being.
The memorandum also raised concerns over reports of an alleged undisclosed medical procedure carried out in Islamabad without informing his family, claiming it was in violation of jail regulations.
