Memo makes attendance compulsory from February 23; party seeks access to family and personal doctors
PTI founder Imran Khan gestures as he addresses his supporters during a rally, in Lahore, April 21, 2022. Photo: REUTERS
PESHAWAR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has ordered all its lawmakers to ensure mandatory attendance as the party prepares to hold daily protests outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan starting February 23, as part of a campaign to get a full medical examination of its jailed founder Imran Khan.
According to an official party note, made public on Tuesday, attendance before the Supreme Court would be “compulsory… until further instructions”.
In a document titled ‘Office Memo’ dated February 22 and issued by the party’s Central Secretariat, the PTI said: “As part of the campaign to get a complete medical examination of our illegally imprisoned founding president, it has been decided by the party that the following persons will be present every day until our demands are met at the office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan at the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Islamabad from 9 a.m. until the court session on February 23.”
The statement said that mandatory attendance applies to all senators, all members of the National Assembly, all members of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly and members of the Punjab Assembly from February 24.
The note further states that those who cannot attend “should inform the Additional Secretary-General in writing before the end of today, clearly stating the reason why they should be excused.”
Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence in Adiala Prison in a £190 million corruption case. He also faces ongoing trials under the anti-terrorism law in connection with the May 9, 2023 protests.
Read: Imran taken to PIMS for treatment
The party stepped up calls for his release after a medical report submitted to the court said his vision in his right eye had dropped to 15%. The government maintains he is receiving the best care.
On Monday, the PTI staged a protest outside the Supreme Court, demanding that all cases against Imran be fixed for immediate hearings.
The protesters urged authorities to allow Imran’s family members to meet him and demanded that his personal doctors give him a full medical examination. The PTI said the former prime minister’s legal issues should be heard without further delay and his medical concerns should be addressed in a transparent manner.
The protest was attended by several senior party leaders and elected representatives, including Salman Akram Raja and Aamir Dogar.
