Opposition announces sit-in outside Parliament until meeting with Imran Khan is allowed

ISLAMABAD:

Opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) on Thursday announced that it would stage a sit-in outside Parliament until a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his treatment was ensured after his vision loss was revealed.

The Supreme Court was told that only 15% of Imran’s vision remained in his right eye. The information was conveyed to the apex court by PTI lawyer Salman Safdar, who quoted the former prime minister as saying that he had only 15 per cent vision left in his right eye following medical complications.

The development caused an uproar in the opposition ranks, who criticized the government for allowing Imran’s health to deteriorate to such a level.

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Speaking to the media, Leader of Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said all opposition parties had decided that after Friday prayers, all lawmakers would stage a sit-in outside Parliament.

“Our requirement is that Imran Khan should have immediate access to doctors he trusts. Imran Khan was treated at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) by a doctor who is not a specialist in the required field. Eye problems are very sensitive. If vision is lost, it can also lead to infection, along with fever and headache,” Abbas said.

An important TTAP meeting was also held in Islamabad, attended by leaders of the opposition alliance. The meeting, chaired by Achakzai, focused on the Khan’s health situation and future strategy.

The meeting was attended by eminent personalities including Barrister Gohar, PTI Chairman Raja Nasir Abbas, Asad Qaiser and Ali Amin Gandapur. During the meeting, special invitations were extended to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Read also: Imran Khan’s right eye has 15% vision, SC report details prison conditions

Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence in Adiala Prison in a £190 million corruption case. Additionally, he faces ongoing trials under the anti-terrorism law related to the May 9, 2023 protests. The party has in recent days expressed concern over Imran’s health and demanded treatment by its own team of doctors.

Raja Nasir to write to foreign agencies on Imran’s health

Earlier, Raja Nasir Abbas, during a Senate session, had expressed serious concerns over Khan’s deteriorating health, accusing the authorities of failing to provide effective and timely medical care.

In his speech, Abbas said Khan’s vision had been severely affected, with his right eye functioning at only 15 per cent capacity after a medical procedure at PIMS Hospital in Islamabad earlier this month. He regretted that no proper treatment was provided and highlighted the continued denial of health services to Khan.

He added that if Khan had been allowed to meet his family regularly and the medical examinations had been conducted transparently and the reports made public, the situation might not have escalated to this extent.

The Opposition Leader stressed that the state is responsible for the health and safety of anyone detained. “Political differences aside, depriving someone of basic human rights and medical care is unacceptable in any civilized society,” he noted.

He condemned the delay in treatment, withholding of information and restriction of family visitation rights, calling these actions inhumane and a violation of constitutional and legal duties.

Abbas announced that he would send a comprehensive report, including evidence and a timeline, to national and international human rights organizations, as well as foreign diplomats stationed in Pakistan, in a bid to draw attention to the issue.

Learn more: SC orders access to personal doctors, phone calls for Imran Khan in Adiala jail

“We demand that an independent and transparent medical board be formed immediately, that full medical records be made public, and that those responsible be held accountable in accordance with the law,” he said.

He further emphasized that this issue was not just about an individual but about broader principles. “If this can happen to a former prime minister and a popular leader, what about the rights of an ordinary citizen?” he asked.

Abbas concluded by calling for immediate action to resolve this issue, stressing that it was essential to uphold justice, transparency and human dignity so that no prisoner ever faces such a situation again.