Says IHC decision will come out in the ‘next few days’, after which a more ‘informed discussion’ can take place
Prime Minister’s adviser and senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah. — APP
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Thursday rejected “conspiracy theories” suggesting that the permission granted to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to meet his lawyers was linked to “discussion” on the proposed 28th Amendment.
Lawyers representing the PTI met Imran on November 11, a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered authorities to facilitate the meeting. The permission for the meeting was granted after Barrister Salman Safdar and Latif Khosa had argued that they could not proceed with arguments in the ongoing appeals in the £190 million case without first meeting their clients.
Speaking on a private television programme, Capital Talk, Sanaullah said: “Conspiracy theories are circulating that these meetings with Imran have happened and things are now moving towards the passage of the 28th Amendment. I want to say that this was a simple meeting of the lawyers who had committed to the IHC that they would proceed with the appeal and make their arguments if they were allowed to meet with Imran.”
Read: IHC orders one-hour jail meeting for Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi with lawyers
He underlined that after the meeting, the IHC would be able to proceed with the legal case and pass judgment on the matter.
Responding to a question about whether a “message” was being sent to the federal government through these meetings, Sanaullah stated that the decision of the IHC would come in the “next few days” and then a more “informed discussion” could take place on this matter.
He further elaborated that the court would decide the matter on “merit”, adding that speculation linking the PTI founder’s meeting with his lawyers to discussions on the 28th Amendment would die down subsequently.
“It is not true that this meeting has been allowed to take place because discussion on the 28th Amendment was on the agenda,” Sanaullah asserted.
Asked whether Imran could be moved to a private hospital, Sanaullah replied that if the panel gave the medical opinion that Imran could not be treated in a government hospital and needed to be taken to another hospital, then the “court and the government can make the decision”.
He added: “If the medical facilities are available in the government hospital, then the law dictates that the convict cannot be treated in a private hospital.”
The IHC has allowed Imran to meet twice a week with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite this, access to Imran and Bushra Bibi at Adiala Jail has remained restricted, with meetings between the PTI founder and his lawyers becoming increasingly infrequent. Authorities have denied weekly meetings between Imran and his family and legal team since December 2025.
Read More: Long wait ends as lawyer meets jailed Imran, Bushra
In April 2026, Barrister Safdar met Imran for a 60-minute legal consultation on the IHC’s orders, but Bushra was not brought in to join the meeting. Safdar said Imran and Bushra were being kept in solitary confinement for almost 24 hours a day, with no access to books, television, family or lawyers.
The courts subsequently intervened to facilitate access. In June, the IHC directed authorities to arrange a meeting between Imran, Bushra and their legal counsel within seven days to complete legal formalities and pursue their appeals.
The Supreme Court also ordered weekly meetings between Imran and his family in August. Imran’s sister Noreen Niazi met him at Adiala Jail on August 18 after about nine months, and the meeting lasted about 15 minutes. However, Safdar was not allowed to meet both his clients again until November 2, when jail authorities facilitated a 40-minute meeting with Imran and Bushra.
