PTI secures concession after sit-in outside SC

Party says family to get access to Imran's medical report

ISLAMABAD:

A day-long sit-in outside the Supreme Court by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Friday managed to secure assurances that authorties would provide a medical report of incarcerated leader Imran Khan to his family.

After staging several hours of protest outside Adiala Jail on Thursday night, the PTI leaders gathered outside the apex court on Friday to denounce the government for keeping them in the dark about the health of their leader.

The protest, led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, aimed to ensure that Imran Khan's personal doctors could assess his health after Information Minister Atta Tarar confirmed the other day that Imran was taken to Islamabad's hospital for a procedure related to his eye treatment.

That triggered a strong reaction from the PTI as they staged a sit-in came after Imran Khan was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for treatment, without prior information being shared with his family or lawyers. The PTI raised concerns over the lack of access to proper medical care, alleging that the government had withheld information regarding the former Prime Minister's condition.

Salman Akram Raja, who had been present outside the Supreme Court since early morning, said that while obtaining the medical report was a step forward, it was not fully satisfactory. "Nothing is more important to the party than the health of our founding chairman."

He also held a 30-minute meeting with Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, during which the PTI's concerns were raised. The Chief Justice, along with the Attorney General and Supreme Court registrar, assured that the medical reports would be provided to Imran Khan and his sisters, and that his personal physicians would have access to him once the reports were received.

Following the assurance, the PTI decided to call off the sit-in outside the Supreme Court.

The party secretary general noted that the struggle outside the Supreme Court was both a moral and legal battle, adding that Imran Khan had been taken to a hospital and examined by doctors against his wishes.

"The fight for the PTI founder's rights, including meetings with his family and legal team, will continue," he said.

K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi told the media that the party had initially planned to decide its future course of action based on the court's decision regarding whether Imran Khan's personal doctor would be allowed to meet him for a medical check-up.

"We have now received a response, and it is no. Following this, we have convened a meeting of our political committee, where the future course of action will be decided," he said.

"Whatever is decided in the political committee will be presented to you. We condemn and are angry about everything that has happened over the past two days. People should take heed and act wisely.

The party later convened a meeting of its political committee at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House to discuss the next steps, including broader protest strategies. The KP CM emphasized that the political committee, in consultation with opposition leaders, would finalize the party's future course of action.

Following a joint meeting of the Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Political Committee, the head of Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan and Leader of the Opposition Mahmood Achakzai stated that February 8 would be a "decisive and historic day for the survival of the nation, the supremacy of the Constitution, and the release of democratic leader Imran Khan."

He emphasized that on this day, it was essential to demonstrate the unity of all national and democratic forces and to ensure robust public action.

On Thursday, after days of speculation, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that Imran had undergone a medical procedure for an eye ailment at PIMS on Saturday night. This was the first time Imran Khan had been taken out of Adiala Jail since his arrest in August 2023, following convictions in multiple cases.

Soon after the minister's confirmation, K-P Chief Minister Afridi, accompanied by other members of the provincial cabinet, reached Adiala Road, but police did not allow them to proceed past the factory checkpoint. Afridi demanded that the PTI founder be allowed to meet with his family, party members, and lawyers to "prevent further deterioration of the situation".

Afridi announced the sit-in after PTI leaders were denied a meeting with Imran Khan. He stressed that every individual has the right to be treated by their personal physician and informed all provincial assembly members to join, strengthening the demand.

The PTI leaders said the founder's personal doctors were headed to Adiala Jail late Thursday, but it was unclear if authorities would allow them to see him. Party members called access for the doctors "a matter of basic humanity" and stated they would remain if permission was denied.

The overnight sit-in outside Adiala Jail was later called off at around 2:30 am, after Salman Akram Raja said a petition had been filed in a trial court seeking permission to meet Imran Khan in jail and announced plans to approach the Supreme Court to submit a memorandum on the matter.