Salman Akram Raja says Imran Khan’s family briefed on his health, jail conditions

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja on Tuesday said the party’s founder, Imran Khan, had shared details about his health and conditions inside Adiala Jail with his lawyer during a meeting, adding that the information had been conveyed to the former prime minister’s family, which had the first right to be informed about his health.

In a post on X, Raja said Barrister Salman Safdar had briefed Khan’s family on the details shared by the PTI founder during his meeting with him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, at Adiala Jail on Monday.

“The family holds the first right of priority concerning health matters,” Raja said, noting that Khan’s son and one of his sisters were living outside the country.

Raja’s statement came a day after Safdar met the incarcerated PTI founder and Bushra following what the lawyer described as prolonged difficulties in securing access to both. The meeting, facilitated by jail authorities, lasted around 40 to 45 minutes.

Safdar said in a post on X that it was his first meeting with Khan in seven months and with Bushra in 11 months, despite repeated requests. He added that the time available was insufficient to discuss all the pending cases and legal matters.

PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Dawn that he had spoken to Safdar in detail about the meeting. According to Akram, the lawyer said the consultation was held in connection with several applications filed in courts seeking meetings with Khan.

Akram said Safdar reached Adiala Jail at around 4:30pm and the meeting continued for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. However, the lawyer considered the time inadequate given the number of cases that needed to be discussed and the lengthy gap since his previous meeting with the PTI founder.

The meeting was also attended by Bushra. Akram said no political matters were discussed, adding that Safdar focused on the pending cases and sought instructions about the future legal strategy.

Asked whether the incarcerated health had come up during the discussion, Akram said the matter was discussed, but the PTI would restrict its public comments to the legal proceedings.

Safdar had also said that Khan and Bushra briefed him on their health and living conditions in jail and gave fresh instructions in some of their cases.

The latest developments have brought renewed attention to the prolonged gaps in access to the couple, with their lawyers previously telling courts that difficulties in arranging meetings had affected their ability to obtain instructions and pursue legal proceedings.

In October, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) adjourned appeals filed by Khan and Bushra in the £190 million reference after Safdar told the court that meetings with his clients had not been arranged despite judicial directions.

According to a report on the October 5 hearing, Safdar said he had met Khan following court directions but had been unable to meet Bushra for months. He told the court that no meeting with her had been arranged in 10 months, leaving him unable to obtain the instructions needed to proceed with her appeal.

The issue had also been raised before the IHC in June, when the court directed the Islamabad advocate general to arrange a meeting between Khan, Bushra and their counsel within seven days to facilitate proceedings in the £190 million case.

At the time, Safdar told the court that he could not obtain instructions or the signed power of attorney required for the legal proceedings. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir observed that denying a lawyer access to a client was unfortunate and could obstruct the administration of justice.

In September, the IHC again directed Adiala Jail authorities to facilitate meetings between Khan and Bushra in accordance with prison rules. The court also addressed their access to family members, telephone contact with their sons, newspapers and books, as well as medical facilities.

The November 2 meeting followed these repeated interventions. However, Safdar’s account that the available time was insufficient to cover all pending cases, along with Raja’s statement that the family had been briefed on Khan’s health and jail conditions, has once again brought the question of access to the forefront.

The latest statements do not indicate whether a regular schedule for meetings between the couple, their lawyers and family members has been agreed.