ATC rejects plea for PTI founder’s access to personal doctors

RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Saturday rejected a plea filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking permission for its founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to be examined by his personal doctors.

The petition, filed by the PTI founder’s legal team, requested that his personal physicians — Dr Asim Yousaf, Dr Khurram Mirza and Dr Samina Niazi — be granted access to Adyala Jail to conduct a medical examination.

The case was heard by ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah.

During the proceedings, Special Public Prosecutor Zaheer Shah opposed the plea, arguing that the PTI founder was not an under-trial prisoner but an accused in the May 9 GHQ attack case and currently on bail.

He added that a criminal court did not have the authority to regulate the custody of a person who was on bail in a case.

Representing the PTI founder, lawyer Faisal Malik contended that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was allowed to have his personal physician, Dr Adnan, accompany him in jail. He said Imran Khan had previously been medically examined by personal doctors on five occasions.

The lawyer further argued that the PTI founder’s family was not informed when he was shifted to PIMS Hospital and alleged that the jail administration had submitted a misleading medical report to the court.

He claimed that the submitted document was not a medical report but merely a letter outlining treatment details, amounting to misrepresentation before the court.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Amjad Ali Shah dismissed the petition.

A day earlier, Additional Superintendent of Adyala Central Jail Jamaat Ali Shah had submitted a medical examination report of the PTI founder to the court, stating that Imran Khan was examined in accordance with the Pakistan Prison Rules and that all required medical facilities were being provided to him and his wife as per jail regulations.

The additional superintendent appeared before the court on Friday following court orders. Earlier, the ATC had issued a contempt of court notice to the Superintendent of Adyala Jail for failing to submit the medical report within the stipulated time.