The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Tuesday summoned the Supreme Court's records of a case concerning the shifting of former prime minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment. A three-member FCC bench, headed by Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan and comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, heard appeals filed by three Adiala Jail inmates seeking treatment at private hospitals and other facilities similar to the facilities granted to the former premier.
During the hearing, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan asked the FCC to summon the records of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder's case from the Supreme Court. He said Article 175E(5) empowered the FCC to seek the records of any court on a question involving constitutional interpretation. FCC CJ Khan observed that the applicant's contention was that the Constitution and law should apply equally to the rich and poor.
Justice Najafi asked the attorney general whether he had raised an objection before the Supreme Court. The attorney general replied that the Supreme Court had issued the order without issuing notice to them, saying that Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman had raised an objection before the apex court. Justice Najafi asked whether the Supreme Court should have first determined the maintainability of the matter, to which the attorney general replied in the affirmative.
The court directed the Supreme Court registrar's office to provide the relevant record. It also sought records of similar cases pending before the Supreme Court and high courts, directing the advocate generals of Islamabad and Punjab to submit comprehensive replies at the next hearing.