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ISLAMABAD: When Imran Khan was arrested by law enforcement from court premises on May 9, Gohar Ali Khan was the lawyer who was with him.
At the time, Mr Khan reportedly appeared more concerned about Gohar Khan’s safety than himself. That concern seems to have blossomed into full-blown trust, as the barrister has reportedly been picked by the PTI chief himself to ‘keep his seat warm’, at least until the party boss’ legal troubles blow over.
An experienced lawyer associated with Aitzaz Ahsan’s law chambers, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan started his legal career in the early 2000s. He currently manages the Islamabad office of the law firm.
Although he is a relative newcomer to the PTI, his rise so far has been meteoric.
Within a few months, he grew very close to the PTI chief, particularly after an exchange of harsh words with Humayun Dilawar — the judge who convicted the PTI chairman in the Toshakhana case.
In 2008, he contested for a National Assembly seat in Buner on a Peoples Party ticket, but lost by a narrow margin.
Being the head of the Islamabad office of Aitzaz Ahsan’s law firm, Barrister Gohar has handled cases at different courts, something that also brought him into close contact with Bahria Town owner, Malik Riaz.
In 2011, the property tycoon was booked by the Anti-Corruption Establishment for encroaching upon forest land in Rakh Takhtpari, a suburb of Rawalpindi, and Gohar Ali Khan was the one who handled the case.
According to his own website, Barrister Khan is an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and appears in all high courts.
He is a law graduate of Wolverhampton University, UK with an LL.M. from Washington School of Law, USA.
He has civil and criminal trial experience and has appeared before the Supreme Judicial Council, field general court martial (FGCM) and its court of appeal. His clients include public and private companies and important personalities, including Imran Khan.
Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2023
