Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Saturday rejected a plea filed by PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, in which he sought permission to be examined by his personal doctors at Adiala Jail.
After listening to arguments from both parties, the court refused to allow Mr Khan’s privately appointed physicians to conduct a medical examination inside the prison.
Representing the PTI founder, advocate Faisal Malik argued that his client, as a former prime minister, was entitled to medical facilities similar to those granted to other former premiers, citing Nawaz Sharif as an example. He maintained that Mr Khan was an undertrial prisoner and, under the law, had the right to be examined by doctors of his own choosing. The lawyer further claimed that Adiala Jail did not have adequate arrangements for specialised eye treatment.
Referring to the Pakistan Prison Rules, Mr Malik said Rule 795 required that a prisoner’s family be informed prior to any medical procedure. He questioned why Mr Khan was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) late at night, noting that he had not been moved out of jail for the past three years. Denying access to personal doctors, he argued, amounted to discriminatory treatment.
Opposing the request, Special Prosecutor Zaheer Shah told the court that Mr Khan was on bail in the GHQ attack case linked to the May 9 incidents and had already been convicted in other cases. As a result, he argued, Mr Khan could not be considered an undertrial prisoner whose custody fell under the supervision of a criminal court. The prosecutor also contended that the ATC had no authority to issue orders related to jail administration or medical care. Under prison regulations, he said, medical treatment was the responsibility of government-appointed doctors, with no provision for private physicians.
After considering the submissions, the court dismissed the application.
In a separate development, Mr Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, claimed on X that medical reports promised by the Supreme Court had not been shared with the family. She called on the chief justice to initiate contempt proceedings over the matter.
Meanwhile, a medical report from Pims confirmed that Mr Khan had been diagnosed with right central retinal vein occlusion and that his hospital-based treatment was completed without complications. Jail authorities also informed the court that Mr Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were being provided medical care strictly in accordance with jail rules.