Amid reports about PTI founder Imran Khan suffering from an ailment that could permanently damage his eyesight and being taken to a hospital for treatment, the opposition on Wednesday demanded that a meeting be arranged between the ex-premier and his family.
A day prior, the party said it had learned through credible reports that the ex-premier was suffering from an ailment that could cause permanent damage to his eyesight if not treated promptly.
According to a senior doctor at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Imran was brought to the hospital under strict security on Saturday night for the procedure, which took quite some time. Another doctor, however, has denied this and said it was better not to discuss it as the PTI would make an issue out of such a development.
During a press conference in Islamabad, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said that Imran was allegedly taken to the hospital over the weekend before being taken back to jail.
He called the situation “distressing for the nation, the party and the family”.
“The family should have been taken on board for moving him for medical treatment. To this day, we have still not been informed about the disease for which he was taken to the hospital, which doctor examined him, why he was taken back [to jail] and why the need arose for doing so,” he said.
In an apparent reference to the government, Gohar said they “are trying to consolidate their power” by making changes in the law but the people’s trust in them was failing.
He added that denying meetings with the PTI chief was causing great concern.
“The government is not understanding, but we will try to make them understand through this press conference; try to understand these problems. Let the meetings happen … do not deny meetings until February 8 under any circumstances,” he requested.
“A meeting with the family is very important. We demand that today, if not tomorrow, a meeting be arranged between Khan sahib and his family, and we are informed about his health. This is our demand,” he said.
Gohar urged the government to consider the demand so that the “anxiety within the nation, the party and his (Imran) family be immediately put at ease”.
Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said that Imran was the most popular leader in Pakistan.
“He (Imran) is a former prime minister of Pakistan … whom Pakistan loves,” he said. Gohar termed the current situation, where Imran had been taken to the hospital without his family being informed, an “injustice”.
He said that as a result of this, the government was losing its credibility in the eyes of the nation. “This is condemnable and they will have to answer for it at some point one day,” he said.
Abbas said that the government had faced a resounding defeat in the Feb 8, 2024 general election. “If the [results] of the Feb 8 polls were accepted, then the political crisis would have ended,” he asserted. He called on the nation to join the opposition’s nationwide protest call for Feb 8.
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said that Imran and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, being kept in isolation in jail was “unacceptable”. He said that the latter was last allowed to meet her daughter on November 4.
Raja said that Imran’s personal physician, who was not related to politics in any way, was not allowed to see him. He said that petitions had also been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by the party’s senators and MNAs for meeting Imran.
“I learnt today that the IHC has refused to hear these petitions as regular petitions. An objection had been placed on both pleas, saying that the petitioners had no right to approach the court,” he said.
“We mentioned in our petition very clearly that we have grave concerns about the reports regarding Imran Khan sahib’s health and that his personal doctors should be allowed to examine him immediately. But we were told that this petition does not qualify for a hearing,” Raja asserted.
“We went to the chambers of the chief justice … and we urged him to use his administrative powers and tell the advocate general that a meeting be arranged,” he added, saying that the situation “bordered on barbarism”.
He again questioned why the party was not informed about Imran being taken to the hospital.
“We demand that a meeting with Imran be arranged,” he said, also calling for the end of the couple’s solitary confinement.
Senior PTI leaders request proper medical treatment for Imran
Separately, senior PTI leaders incarcerated at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail demanded that the government provide Imran proper medical treatment.
PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Omar Safraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Reasheed also appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to look into the matter personally and ensure that the recommended treatment was being administered as soon as possible.
“Imran Khan’s eye infection has resulted in central retinal vein occlusion and may produce permanent damage to the eye and loss of vision, if not treated properly,” the five leaders expressed in an open letter shared by their counsel Rana Mudassar on Wednesday.
The open letter — written by Rashid on behalf of all five incarcerated leaders — said learning about Imran Khan’s eye infection, which had resulted in central retinal vein occlusion, was extremely distressing.
“This condition is extremely serious and if not treated properly, may produce permanent damage to the eye resulting in loss of vision,” the PTI leaders said.
They urged the government to stop its “petty behaviour and ensure that he (Imran) is admitted to a hospital of his choice and given proper treatment” and called the denial of proper treatment “shameful”.
“We appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan to look into the matter personally and ensure that the recommended treatment is given as soon as possible,” they said.
“The action taken in this case should be visible to the people of Pakistan,” they added.
Meeting with Imran jail authorities’ decision: Tallal Chaudhry
Minister of State for Interior Affairs Tallal Chaudhry, meanwhile, said that allowing meetings with the incarcerated PTI founder was ultimately the decision of the jail authorities, adding that securing a meeting would be “difficult” if the PTI kept giving calls for protests outside the prison.
Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada ke Saath’, the state minister refrained from commenting on whether or not Imran was taken to a hospital for an eye procedure.
“Instead of speculating or sensationalising, I urge people to wait for the reports to be confirmed,” he said.
Asked whether the government’s silence on the issue was tacit confirmation, Chaudhry replied, “It’s not like that. The truth is that this is a narrative built by those people (the PTI) who spread propaganda and play the sympathy card about his (Imran) life and health, and how he can’t speak to his children and they can’t get visas, because their other narratives have failed.”
Chaudhry said that if it was proven that Imran underwent a procedure, “then it confirms that he is receiving all medical facilities”.
Asked why meetings with the PTI founder were not being allowed, the state minister replied that jail authorities would not allow a meeting if it became a law and order problem or if they were dictated.
“There are approximately 850 people who have met the PTI founder for hours, including his family, lawyers, his political team and doctors,” Chaudhry said.
At this point, Khanzada noted that there had been no meetings for two months.
“He is in prison and it is the government’s responsibility [to take care of him], do not worry,” Chaudhry replied.
Asked if there would be a meeting tomorrow (Thursday) — one of the days designated for meetings with Imran by the Islamabad High Court — the state minister replied that only jail authorities could make that decision.
“I will confirm one thing: the rumours these people spread about his life and health are not true. He is receiving all the facilities … more so than other prisoners,” Chaudhry said.
“Only jail authorities can decide on a meeting, but if they (the PTI) continue dictating, making calls and threats, or affecting the public, then this will make securing a meeting difficult,” he said.
