KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Thursday directed central prison’s superintendent to get Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Firdous Shamim Naqvi examined by a government medical board to determine his health condition.

Besides Mr Naqvi, other PTI leaders Ali Zaidi, Khurram Sher Zaman, Jamal Siddiqui and Arsalan Taj -- along with scores of activists, had been booked in cases pertaining to the May 9 violence, arson and terror attacks while they were staging protests in Karachi following the arrest of PTI chairman and former prime minister in Islamabad on May 9.

On Thursday, the investigating officers produced legislator Naqvi and dozens of arrested activists before the administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts in connection with three cases registered against them.

They were brought from the central prison, where they had been sent on judicial remand by the court.

Mr Naqvi’s lawyer informed the judge that the court had directed the prison chief on May 21 to write a letter to the provincial health authorities for formation of a medical board and present Mr Naqvi before such board for examination since his health condition was deteriorating in the prison.

Advocate Shujjat Ali Khan further informed the judge that the PTI leader was suffering from cancer and other illnesses and his life would be in danger if he was not provided necessary medical treatment in the prison.

However, the counsel said, the prison chief had failed to write to the health authorities about formation of the medical board and present before it the PTI leader, whose condition was deteriorating by every passing day.

He pleaded to direct the prison chief to comply with the court’s previous directives at the earliest and without fail.

The judge directed the Karachi central prison’s chief to write to the health authorities for the constitution of a medical board to examine Mr Naqvi and submit a report in the court regarding his health condition by July 20.

The judge also issued a show-cause notice to the investigating officer for not submitting challan against Mr Naqvi in a case of allegedly leading a violent protest over the arrest of his party’s chief.

The same court adjourned till July 20 the hearing of bail applications of Firdous Shamim Naqvi and dozens of activists booked in the violence cases.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2023