Stephen Lawrence lawyer fights for parents dragged from bedside of their dying daughter

Stephen Lawrence lawyer fights for parents dragged from bedside of their dying six-year-old daughter after doctors said her life support was being withdrawn

  • Imran Khan is acting for Rashid and Aliya Abbasi in a High Court legal action
  • Parents want to name hospital and medics involved in caring for daughter
  • Dragged away when Zainab’s life support was withdrawn earlier this year 

The lawyer who represented the family of Stephen Lawrence is helping a couple dragged by police from the bedside of their dying daughter.

Imran Khan is acting for Rashid and Aliya Abbasi in a High Court bid to publicly name the hospital and medics involved in the care of their six-year-old child Zainab.

Mr Khan represented the Lawrences in a public inquiry into the teenager’s murder and a failed private prosecution of three suspects.

Earlier this year, The Mail on Sunday revealed footage showing officers pulling Dr Abbasi, a hospital consultant, away from Zainab’s bedside after he had been told her life support was being withdrawn.

Pictured: Zainab Abassi who suffered from a life-limiting genetic condition. Both of her parents, Aliya and Rashid are medical doctors

Doctors Aliya and Rashid Abassi, who had an altercation with hospital staff and police officers, brought about by a dispute over the care of their daughter Zainab. Zainab had a life-limiting condition and died in May 2019

Doctors Aliya and Rashid Abassi, who had an altercation with hospital staff and police officers, brought about by a dispute over the care of their daughter Zainab. Zainab had a life-limiting condition and died in May 2019

He suffered a heart attack during his arrest. Police bodycam footage also showed his wife Aliya, a former doctor, being manhandled.

The couple believed their daughter, who suffered from respiratory problems and a rare genetic illness, could have survived and had asked for more tests on her shortly before the incident in August 2019.

Reporting restrictions prevent both the hospital in the North of England and her doctors from being identified. Their case is expected to be heard in February. Mrs Abbasi said: ‘It’s all about transparency and accountability. We are so happy Imran Khan is involved. We essentially feel the tragedy of losing Zainab should have the same catalytic effect for sick and disabled children that the Stephen Lawrence case had for black youths.’

The couple have launched a funding campaign on CrowdJustice to pay for their legal actions.

The hospital trust said: ‘The suggestions the family makes are in dispute and evidence about this will be considered by the court.’