Pak's opposition alliance calls off sit-in; Insists on physicians' access to Imran Khan

Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan's opposition alliance on Wednesday ended its days-long sit-in in the national capital over concerns about the health of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-in-Pakistan (TTAP), an alliance that includes Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, launched protests on Friday at two locations in Islamabad, including the premises of parliament and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House building.

TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai led the sit-in at the premises of parliament, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi organised the other protest.

However, the group wrapped up the protests, saying that it achieved the purpose of highlighting the health issue of Khan.

“Thanks to God, there is a minor improvement compared to the situation before, when the vision had gone completely, just a little bit,” said Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.

He demanded that Khan's personal physician should be allowed to meet him, and the PTI leader should be treated at the private Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad.

Elaborating on the decision to end the sit-in, he said that the group took into account the start of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on Thursday.

"And in the next stage, we can take different measures as TTAP, and we will do so as we have time," he said and urged the government to resolve the issue related to Khan’s health.

TTAP chief Achakzai, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja were present during the press conference.

Earlier, the TTAP leadership, including Achakzai, Abbas, Gohar and Raja, visited the Supreme Court to show solidarity with Khan during the hearing of his cases, including a petition to allow a meeting with Khan.

The court denied a plea by the PTI leader Latif Khosa for a meeting with the former premier.

The court last week tasked PTI lawyer Salman Safdar to meet Khan and file a report. He met Khan and filed the report, highlighting the issue of Khan’s eyesight because the former premier claimed to have lost 85 per cent vision in his right eye.

However, a report prepared by a team of doctors who visited Khan on February 15 said that, unaided, Khan's right eye had 6/24 partial vision and 6/9 in the left, adding that with glasses, the ex-premier’s vision was 6/9 partial in the right and 6/6 in the left.

Khan’s family and party rejected the report and demanded access to him by his personal doctors and family members.

Meanwhile, KPK Chief Minister Afridi announced the formation of a special force aimed at securing the release of Khan.

Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Afridi said that the PTI founder had entrusted him with the responsibility of leading a street movement, lamenting that court orders were frequently ignored.

He said the proposed “Release Force” would pursue a peaceful struggle, adding that all members would take an oath on February 22 in Peshawar.  Afridi maintained that the force’s chain of command would ultimately report to Khan.

According to the chief minister, the movement would be dedicated to the protection of democracy, the supremacy of the Constitution, and a free media.

Addressing internal party dissent, Afridi warned those within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf who were seeking his removal that honour and disgrace come from God alone.

Khan has been in jail since August 5, 2023, facing multiple corruption cases. He was convicted and sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment in a corruption case, while over a dozen cases are at different stages in the courts.