PTI raises concerns over Imran's health

Raja urges chief justice to take up pending appeals

ISLAMABAD:

PTI leaders on Wednesday expressed concern over former premier and party founder Imran Khan's health and criticised the government's economic performance, alleging democratic backsliding and worsening living conditions.

Speaking at a news conference, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja claimed that the party founder was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) under the cover of night, adding that details of what transpired at the hospital remain unclear.

Raja was referring to Imran's eye check-up at PIMS in the wee hours of Tuesday, during which the former premier received a fourth intravitreal anti-VEGF injection.

He said Imran's family and party leaders were completely unaware of the medical facilities being provided to him, calling the situation unacceptable.

Raja also pointed out that despite a 2024 high court ruling regarding meetings with the PTI founder, there had been no consistent access, adding that his sisters had not been allowed to meet him since December.

He urged the chief justice to take up pending appeals, while alleging that the current judicial situation stemmed from recent constitutional amendments. "The system of falsehood has now completed four years, and the 2024 election was stolen," he said, adding that inflation was crushing ordinary citizens.

Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser said Imran was being subjected to unfair treatment and was being denied his rights.

"For us, this country has become a banana republic," he said.

"When our government ended, economic conditions were better than today," he added, noting that farmers and labourers were struggling.

Speaking on the occasion, former Sindh governor Zubair Umar said the current government, "which came to power in April 2022, had failed to deliver despite having sufficient time".

He argued that economic performance should be judged through GDP, claiming that the country recorded its worst growth in four years. He also said investment levels had fallen to their lowest in decades.

Zubair said the party had prepared a 10-point economic white paper comparing Pakistan with other countries in the region.

He questioned why inflation remained higher in Pakistan than in neighbouring states, adding that investment indicators were particularly alarming.

He said Pakistan's investment ratio dropped to a 50-year low, while foreign direct investment had fallen to its lowest level since 1974.

He further claimed that several companies operating in Pakistan for decades had exited the country, even as they continue to operate in other regional markets.