Imran Khan’s legal team ‘harassed’ in Islamabad High Court’s elevator: PTI

• Imran's legal team got trapped in a malfunctioning lift. 
• A total of 19 people were onboard the IHC elevator.
• After a span of over 30 minutes, a rescue team reached spot.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday accused that its Chairman Imran Khan’s legal team was “harassed” by confining them in an elevator for 45 minutes at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

According to details, Senior lawyer Latif Khosa and Naeem Haider Panjotha — who are representing the former prime minister in the Toshakhana case — and other members of his legal team got trapped in a malfunctioning elevator of the high court.

The incident took place when Khosa along with other lawyers were on their way back after giving their arguments on a plea seeking suspension of the deposed premier’s punishment, who was removed from office in April last year via a no-confidence motion, three-year jail term in the case. 

A total of 19 people, including a media person, were onboard the lift when it stopped functioning abruptly.

After a span of over 30 minutes, a fire and rescue team reached the spot and rescued the lawyers safely from the lift stuck on the second floor of the IHC.

The people entered the elevator at 12 noon on the third floor at the Islamabad High Court and were rescued at 12:45pm.

Condemning the incident, the former ruling party urged President Arif Alvi and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to launch a probe into the incident immediately.

SCBA expresses concerns

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) also expressed concerns over the incident saying, “Surprisingly, IHC staff did nothing for immediate help.”

“Senior lawyer Latif Khosa and others got suck in the elevator for almost one hour at the IHC”

The SCBA urged the IHC chief justice and other relevant authorities to probe the incident immediately. “Thank God there was no loss of life in this incident.”

The SCBA hoped that the probe would unearth the real motive behind the incident.

“It should be probed whether the incident occurred due to a technical fault or it was an attempt to kill Latif Khosa and other lawyers.”

Apex lawyers' body also expressed hopes that steps would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.