Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan firmly dismissed rumors of any deal involving the party’s imprisoned founder, Imran Khan, on Monday. He emphasized that Imran’s years in custody demonstrate his unwillingness to strike any bargains. “If he wanted a deal, he wouldn’t have endured three years behind bars,” Gohar stated outside the Supreme Court.
He also clarified that Imran was reluctant to remain in hospital beyond necessary medical tests, underscoring that the former premier only wished to undergo required examinations without delay. These remarks came amid ongoing legal proceedings challenging the alleged breach of the Supreme Court’s directive regarding Imran’s transfer to a hospital.
Gohar revealed that he had attempted to meet Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi at the Supreme Court, but the meeting was postponed due to the Chief Justice’s busy schedule. Instead, he and senior lawyer Latif Khosa met the court registrar, who assured them that a bench would be formed to hear their petition. Gohar added that the bench could even be convened via an online process, and expressed hope that the Supreme Court would schedule the hearing promptly.
The PTI had filed a contempt petition on Saturday, accusing authorities of disregarding the Supreme Court’s August 18 order that mandated Imran’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital for medical examination. Instead, Imran was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on the night of August 20-21 for tests and returned to Adiala jail afterward. The petition demands contempt proceedings against those responsible, along with show-cause notices and their personal appearances before the court.
Moreover, the petition seeks Imran’s immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital and requests the appointment of a judicial officer or a local commission to oversee compliance with the court’s order. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar are named as respondents in the petition.
In a related development, the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad submitted an application to the Supreme Court two days ago, urging an expedited hearing of the review petition against the August 18 order. This application requests the court to reconsider, amend, or revoke its directive for Imran’s transfer from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital.
Gohar stressed that PTI was not politicizing the issue, focusing instead on the importance of Imran’s health. When asked about his meetings with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Gohar confirmed they took place but declined to provide details. He also refuted claims that Imran expressed dissatisfaction with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi during a meeting with Imran’s sister, Dr. Uzma Khan, stating that she had not revealed much and that such reports were inaccurate.
Meanwhile, the government maintains it has fully complied with the Supreme Court’s directives. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that Imran’s medical examination was conducted at PIMS, with doctors from Shifa International Hospital also present. Tarar explained that the decision to take Imran to PIMS was based on security concerns due to the presence of PTI supporters near Shifa Hospital. He asserted that all court requirements were met and dismissed the PTI’s contempt petition as unfounded, accusing the party and Imran’s family of creating security risks by gathering outside Shifa International Hospital.
