PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has rejected speculation that Imran Khan could reach a deal with the government, saying the former prime minister would not have spent three years in jail if he intended to make an agreement. Gohar made the remarks outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Monday after meeting the court’s registrar with PTI leader Sardar Latif Khosa.
Gohar said Imran did not believe in making deals and urged that politics should not be linked to his health. He said the PTI founder would remain in hospital only for the medical tests and treatment he needed. According to Gohar, Imran’s continued imprisonment showed that an Imran Khan deal was not his objective.
The PTI chairman was at the Supreme Court to pursue the party’s contempt petition concerning the government’s alleged failure to implement the court’s August 18 order. The order directed that Imran be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for medical examination and treatment. Gohar said he had sought a meeting with Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, but the chief justice was unavailable.
Gohar said he and Khosa instead met the Supreme Court registrar and requested that a case number be assigned to the contempt petition and that the matter be fixed for an early hearing. He said the registrar assured them that the case would receive a number and be scheduled soon. Gohar also stressed that the August 18 order should not be ignored and that its implementation was being closely watched.
The PTI leader said the party’s request was limited to having Imran’s medical tests conducted at a private hospital, with his sister Uzma Khan and personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan included in the medical board. Khosa also said a case number was being allotted to a related matter in Lahore. Imran’s sister had earlier filed a contempt petition through Advocate Uzair Karamat Bhandari over the alleged non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
The Supreme Court had ordered the government to move Imran to Shifa International Hospital within two days for assessment and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board. The government later challenged the directive, arguing that it was discriminatory and inconsistent with prison rules and principles of natural justice. The Supreme Court returned the review petition on Thursday over objections concerning the affidavit, facts and preparation of the relevant documents.
Although security arrangements were made at Shifa International Hospital, Imran was instead taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for a medical check-up before being returned to prison. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar attributed the change to security concerns linked to PTI workers. Pims later said Shifa specialists participated in Imran’s eye assessment. Against this background, Gohar again rejected speculation of an Imran Khan deal and said the party was focused on implementation of the Supreme Court’s order.
