Sanaullah Rejects 28th Amendment Link to Imran Meeting
Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah has rejected claims that letting Imran Khan meet his lawyers was linked to talks on the proposed 28th Amendment.
Sanaullah was speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada ke Saath on Thursday. He said people had been trying to link the meeting to the 28th Amendment or other matters.
“I want to say that this was a simple meeting of the lawyers who had committed to the IHC that they would proceed with the appeal and make their arguments if they were allowed to meet with Imran,” he said.
28th Amendment: what Sanaullah said
Barrister Salman Safdar and Advocate Latif Khosa met Imran on November 11, a day after the Islamabad High Court ordered the authorities to facilitate the meeting. They had argued they could not proceed with arguments in the appeals in the 190 million pound case without first meeting their clients.
Sanaullah said the IHC chief justice had arranged the meeting after the lawyers promised to argue the case. “This political theory that the meeting was held to discuss the 28th Amendment is completely incorrect; there is no such thing,” he said.
“It is not true that this meeting has been allowed to take place because discussion on the 28th Amendment was on the agenda,” Sanaullah said.
How the meeting came about
The IHC has allowed Imran to meet twice a week with family, lawyers and associates. Even so, access to Imran and Bushra Bibi at Adiala Jail has stayed restricted, and meetings have been rare since December 2025.
Safdar was not allowed to meet both clients again until November 2, when jail authorities facilitated a 40-minute meeting. Imran gave instructions on the formation of new provinces during his meetings with Safdar, including the one on November 2.
Safdar and Khosa met Imran and Bushra Bibi on Wednesday after the court’s latest order, in a meeting that lasted at least three hours. Imran’s sisters Uzma and Noreen were released from Kot Lakhpat Jail on Thursday after their detention orders were withdrawn. A PTI lawmaker has asked the Federal Constitutional Court to order the release of Sohail Afridi and other party workers.
What happens next
Sanaullah said the IHC could proceed with the case and pass judgment once the lawyers argued it. He said interior ministry officials were aware of the meeting, as it fell in their domain.
Asked whether any distance was emerging between the government and the institutions, Sanaullah said: “Distancing from us can never begin, and neither will it.” He added: “There is extraordinary coordination between the military and civilian leadership.”
Sanaullah also pointed to Pakistan’s recent diplomatic and military achievements. “This situation should remain, and everyone should pray that this situation remains forever,” he said.
The debate over new administrative units has run alongside these developments, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi suggesting a referendum on the issue. Naqvi also made a surprise dash to Nawabshah on Thursday night to meet President Asif Ali Zardari.
Frequently asked questions
What did Sanaullah say about the 28th Amendment?
He rejected claims linking Imran Khan’s meeting with his lawyers to talks on the proposed 28th Amendment, calling them conspiracy theories.
When did Imran meet his lawyers?
Safdar and Khosa met Imran and Bushra Bibi on November 11, after the Islamabad High Court ordered jail authorities to facilitate the meeting.
When will the IHC decide the case?
Sanaullah said the IHC decision would come in the “next few days”, after which a more informed discussion could take place.
Can Imran be moved to a private hospital?
Sanaullah said that would depend on a medical panel’s opinion and a decision by the court and the government. If a government hospital can treat him, the law does not allow a private hospital.
How often can Imran meet his family and lawyers?
The IHC has allowed meetings twice a week, but access has stayed restricted since December 2025.
