The hearing of the May 9 General Headquarters attack case was conducted by ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah. Imran was represented by his counsel Faisal Malik, while Special Prosecutor Zaheer Shah appeared for the prosecution and opposed the plea.
The prosecutor told the court that Imran, who is on bail in the GHQ attack case, is an under-trial prisoner rather than a convicted inmate. He argued that a criminal court does not have the authority to regulate the custody of a suspect who is on bail. Zaheer Shah further said that Pakistan Prison Rules do not recognise personal doctors for prisoners and that private medical treatment is not provided under the existing legal system.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court rejected the petition seeking access to Imran’s personal medical team.
It is worth noting that Imran recently underwent an eye procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, where doctors said pressure in blood vessels had affected his eyesight. PTI has alleged that details of his medical condition were withheld by the government for several days.
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, quoting messages from incarcerated former first lady Bushra Bibi, said Imran’s health had improved after the procedure. According to Bushra Bibi, doctors had warned there was a risk of losing his eyesight without the treatment.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai last week wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeking his intervention to ensure that Imran is examined by doctors of his choice.
In the letter, Achakzai said recent medical examinations were carried out without the knowledge or presence of Imran’s personal doctors or family members. He stressed that it was critically necessary for Imran’s trusted doctors to conduct thorough check-ups in line with medical ethics, legal obligations and fundamental human rights.
Achakzai urged that doctors from Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Shifa Hospital and other trusted medical professionals be allowed to examine Imran. His family has also sought access for his personal physician, saying he has not been permitted to examine Imran for over a year.
However, the Adiala jail administration has said Imran is being provided all facilities available to B-Class prisoners under the law, including customised meals, healthcare, reading material, exercise and daily walks.
Imran Khan, 72, has been in custody since August 2023 following convictions in multiple cases, which he says are politically motivated after his removal from office through a parliamentary vote in 2022.
His first conviction was in the Toshakhana case over the alleged illegal sale of state gifts. He later received lengthy sentences, including 10 years for leaking a diplomatic cable and 14 years in a graft case linked to the Al-Qadir Trust, which prosecutors say involved improper land transactions.
Imran remains in jail as legal proceedings continue. His conviction in the Toshakhana-2 case is the latest development, while he continues to face dozens of cases ranging from corruption to anti-terrorism and state secrets charges. He has denied all accusations, which his party says are aimed at sidelining him from politics and elections.
