Islamabad, February 23: Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan rallied outside the Supreme Court in Pakistan on Monday. Opposition members demanded immediate hearings for all cases against Khan and requested that his family be allowed to visit him in jail.
The protest featured prominent figures such as Senate opposition leader Alima Raza Nasir Abbas and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja. Other notable participants included Chief Whip Amir Dogar, National Assembly members Ali Muhammad Khan and Shahid Khattak, as well as provincial assembly member Shafiullah Jan and Muhammad Hussain.
Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been imprisoned since August 2023. He is serving a 14-year sentence in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for a £190 million corruption case and has recently been convicted in another case related to state gifts.
According to reports from Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, Khan’s family and party have expressed growing concerns about his health, particularly after he was diagnosed with Right Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO) in January.
The opposition coalition, Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), has called for Khan to undergo a comprehensive medical examination through his personal doctors. They urged the government to take action, including allowing Khan’s family and doctors to visit him.
Sharing a video of the protest on X, TTAP stated, “The demonstration by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf continues outside the Supreme Court, where protesters insisted on immediate hearings for all cases against Imran Khan, permission for family visits, and a full medical examination through his personal doctors. Prominent figures such as Senate opposition leader Alima Nasir Abbas, Salman Akram Raja, Amir Dogar, and other elected representatives were present.”
Speaking to reporters, Salman Akram Raja emphasized that PTI does not trust any government reports, likely referring to a report submitted to the Supreme Court by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). He stated, “Not just Khan’s eye, his entire body requires examination.”
Dawn reported that Ali Muhammad Khan demanded that the PTI founder be taken to a hospital. He remarked that the country’s future is reflected in Khan’s eyes and insisted on transferring him to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital as per his personal doctors and family’s requests.
Shahid Khattak criticized the treatment of Khan, stating that it has become a matter of pride. He noted that Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, is also imprisoned in a political case. He mentioned that he and other PTI leaders plan to return to the Supreme Court to remind them of this issue.
In a medical report submitted to the Supreme Court, Khan claimed that he has only 15 percent vision remaining in his right eye. PTI lawyer Salman Safdar submitted a seven-page report regarding his visit to Adiala Jail, stating, “According to the petitioner (Imran), a blood clot was detected, causing severe damage, and despite treatment, only 15 percent vision remains in his right eye.”
– Arpit Yajgnik/MS
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