ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refrained from accepting a plea seeking special instructions to allow PTI founder Imran Khan to meet with his legal team in prison.

Senior counsel Salman Safdar told a bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi that the former PM was facing extraordinary circumstances, with over 300 cases lodged against him.

Therefore, special instructions from the court were required to allow him to hold meetings with his legal team at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

The three-member Supreme Court was hearing appeals related to the May 9, 2023, arson and attack incidents. The proceedings involved petitions challenging Mr Khan’s physical remand and appeals against the restoration of his pre-arrest bail.

CJP says legal team can interact with PTI founder whenever they want

The bench, however, avoided accepting the plea, with the CJP observing the court would not issue any direction in this regard. However, he said, meetings would take place whenever the counsel wanted to interact with the PTI founder.

During the hearing, Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi requested Imran Khan’s physical remand, stating that polygraph and voice-matching tests had yet to be conducted, and alleged that the PTI founder was not cooperating. The CJP cautioned the prosecutor against making such remarks in court, prompting Mr Naqvi to take back his words.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court issued notice to PTI leader Sanam Javed against her acquittal in the May 9 case with an observation that why her physical remand was required, particularly as she is a woman.

The special prosecutor responded that the Lahore High Court had discharged Ms Javed after she challenged her remand.

The Supreme Court also deci­ded to hear Fawad Chaudhry’s appeal against the registration of multiple cases for the same crime.

Referring to the case regarding the cancellation of bail of Shehryar Afridi, the Supreme Court ordered the trial court to complete the trial in four months.

The Supreme Court also adjourned the hearing of Sheikh Rashid’s acquittal appeal in the GHQ attack case until April 22. Sheikh Rashid’s lawyer said there was no witness against his client.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2025