Accountability court judge orders removal of wooden barriers from the courtroom
An accountability court on Friday ordered medical check-ups for former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, Express News reported.
The decision came after an application for the examinations was presented to the court by Imran during a hearing presided over by Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail regarding the £190 million corruption reference.
Judge Rana ordered an endoscopy for Bushra Bibi, to be supervised by Dr Asim Younus of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital and a government medical officer. Additionally, the judge instructed the presentation of six witnesses related to the reference at the next hearing.
During the proceedings, Judge Nasir Javed Rana ordered the removal of wooden barriers from the courtroom. Following an hour-long break, the jail authorities removed all additional sheets.
Concerns were also raised during the proceedings by defence lawyers regarding the difficulties faced by journalists in reporting the case. The judge addressed these concerns by inviting media representatives and Imran Khan to the rostrum, subsequently instructing the jail administration to take necessary steps.
During the proceedings, Imran Khan informed the court that toilet cleaner had been mixed into Bushra Bibi’s food, causing her health to deteriorate with daily stomach irritation.
The court advised Imran to refrain from holding “press conferences” during the hearings, to which Khan responded by stating that his statements were misquoted and he engages with journalists to clarify them.
The court stressed the importance of decorum, suggesting addressing the media after the hearing, to which Khan stated that the jail administration removes the media from the courtroom after the hearing.
He also requested that the court allow him a 10-minute interaction with the media after the hearings.
