• Petition before IHC relates to appeal against conviction in Toshakhana case
• Latif Khosa asked to assist the court with relevant jail rules at the next hearing
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday directed the Advocate General Islamabad to facilitate signing of the power of attorney of senior lawyer Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan by the founder of PTI, Imran Khan, through the superintendent of Adiala jail.
A division bench comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro also directed senior counsel Latif Khosa to come prepared with the relevant jail rules at the next hearing.
The court issued the directions during the hearing of a miscellaneous application seeking the transfer of the PTI founder to a hospital for treatment in connection with the appeal against his conviction on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s compliant for concealing Toshakhana gifts in his assets declaration.
During the proceedings, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Latif Khosa and other lawyers appeared at the rostrum. Mr Ahsan told the bench that he intended to submit his power of attorney in the case, but the document had not yet been signed.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir asked whether he wanted the hearing to be adjourned. Mr Ahsan replied that he was not seeking any delay. The judge then directed the Advocate General Islamabad to have the power of attorney signed through the jail authorities.
Officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan informed the court that their counsel, Amjad Pervez, had been appointed Advocate General Punjab and they required two to three days to engage a new lawyer.
The Advocate General Islamabad told the court that a report of the jail superintendent had already been submitted. Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro observed that the report should have been shared with the petitioner earlier.
Mr Khosa read out the report of Adiala jail authorities, which stated that the PTI founder had been sentenced to three years in the case and had so far served 26 days.
According to the report, the PTI founder is undergoing regular medical check-ups through a medical board and had also been examined by doctors of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). He was taken to Pims twice for treatment related to his eye condition.
The court was further informed that the PTI founder had initially been examined inside the jail before being shifted to Pims for an injection required for treatment.
Mr Khosa told the bench that Salman Safdar had earlier submitted a report to the Supreme Court of Pakistan as a friend of the court, recommending treatment for the PTI founder’s eye condition. He said the report warned that a delay in treatment could lead to serious consequences.
Mr Khosa told the bench that the government initially refused medical treatment for five days before issuing a press release regarding the matter.
When the bench asked about the relief sought in the petition, Mr Khosa said the application requested the transfer of the PTI founder to Shifa International Hospital as well as access to a personal physician and family members.
The federation objected to the maintainability of the request for transferring the PTI founder to Shifa International Hospital.
The Advocate General argued that under a decision of the Supreme Court, a medical board comprising Dr Arif and Dr Nadeem Qureshi of Pims had already been constituted for the treatment of the PTI founder’s eye condition. He added that the apex court had not issued any directions based on the suggestions made by the friend of the court.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir remarked that the court would examine the matter and asked Khosa to explain what relief the court could grant.
The bench asked Mr Khosa to assist the court regarding the relevant jail rules. Mr Khosa requested time until Wednesday to prepare.
Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2026
