Pakistan court orders meeting for Imran Khan, wife with lawyers within 7 days

The Islamabad High Court has mandated that jail authorities facilitate a meeting between former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and their legal counsel within a week. This directive aims to enable the couple to file and pursue appeals against their conviction in a significant corruption case.

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Despite repeated efforts he had been unable to meet his client, who remains incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.

During the hearing, Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Khan, informed the court that he had been repeatedly denied access to his client, who is currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi's Adiala jail. This lack of access has prevented him from obtaining necessary instructions and a signed power of attorney to proceed with the appeals.

Safdar also reported that his last meeting with Bushra Bibi was in December, and subsequent requests for access have also been rejected. He argued that the denial of access by jail authorities appeared to be a deliberate tactic to make the proceedings time-barred. The court expressed concern over the advocate general's absence and the implications of denying legal counsel access to their clients.

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The jail authorities have denied me access in a manner that appears aimed at rendering these proceedings time-barred.

The court recalled a previous instance where it intervened to ensure a meeting between Khan and his lawyers. Safdar emphasized that without direct instructions from his client, he could not effectively represent him, drawing a parallel to a recent Supreme Court judgment that offered relief in a similar post-conviction scenario.

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The law officer was responsible for ensuring that legal counsel were granted access to incarcerated clients whenever required for court proceedings.