Imran’s lawyer Latif Khosa, 16 others rescued from malfunctioning IHC elevator
Senior lawyer Latif Khosa, who appeared as PTI chief Imran Khan’s counsel in a case today, and at least 16 others were rescued safely on Friday after they got trapped in a malfunctioning elevator at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Khosa had exited the courtroom after the conclusion of a hearing on a plea seeking suspension of the former premier’s three-year jail sentence in the Toshakhana case.
On the way back, he and 16 others got stuck in the elevator after it stopped functioning. It is not yet known why the incident occurred.
Subsequently, Khosa’s assistant lawyer, Suzane Jahan, can be seen in a video saying, “It has been more than 10 minutes. The lift has malfunctioned and no one from the [court] administration is coming. Khosa sahib and his legal lawyers — all are inside [the elevator].
Lawyer Suzane Jahan outside an elevator at the IHC. — Photo provided by author
“I have informed the administration 10 times. Everyone here knows about this [but] no one is taking action and my boss is inside,” she said in a heated manner.
“Does this mean that now you will also kill lawyers by suffocating them? You already put[Imran] Khan behind bars and you will also kill lawyers now?” Jahan asked. “Pathetic,” she added.
The video shows Jahan and Barrister Gohar Khan — another member of Imran’s legal team — pressing the elevator’s button in an attempt to call it to the ground floor. However, the elevator screen continued to switch between displaying “3” and “ER”.
Other lawyers gathered there also complained about the lack of response from the local authorities, saying that “no staff [member] has arrived”.
Video footage showed dozens of people, including lawyers, gathered outside the elevator’s entrance on the IHC’s second floor as lawyers improvised ways to get the trapped persons out while a person also held a pedestal fan to enhance airflow towards the elevator.
Fire and rescue team is present at the IHC after an elevator malfunctioned. — Photo provided by author
TV footage also showed a fire and rescue team on the spot, which was called specifically to resolve the issue. More than half an hour later, the people were rescued safely after collective efforts from lawyers and the rescue team.
When the elevator’s doors were finally opened, Khosa and others emerged one by one from the darkened elevator as its lights had shut.
Following his rescue, fellow lawyers escorted a visibly exhausted Khosa from the court premises while chanting slogans.
Soon, a video shot inside the elevator emerged, showing the trapped people while one of them counted their number to 17. Usman Gujjar, one of the people stuck inside the elevator, confirmed to Dawn.com that there were a total of 17 people trapped there.
