Pakistan opposition stages sit-in over Khan’s 'deteriorating health' in jail

Pakistan’s opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP), staged a sit-in outside Parliament House on Friday, demanding urgent medical treatment for former prime minister Imran Khan amid reports of severe vision loss.

TTAP, a coalition formed to protect parliamentary rights, said the protest was prompted by medical reports indicating that Khan has only 15% vision remaining in his right eye.

The alliance vowed the demonstration would continue until Khan is admitted to Al-Shifa Hospital for specialized care.

Addressing the media, TTAP leaders emphasized that the sit-in is a response to what they describe as government inaction in providing timely medical access.

Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, a TTAP spokesperson, accused authorities of cordoning off roads leading to Parliament and restricting the movement of opposition lawmakers, claiming the measures aimed to prevent protest and delay treatment for Khan.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser said party lawmakers reached Parliament despite obstacles and discussed the next steps with fellow leaders, including Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai and other senior MPs.

Achakzai reiterated that the sit-in would continue “until all demands are met,” stressing that the matter is about Khan’s health, not politics.

In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told reporters that the government has repeatedly assured Khan’s party that no negligence would be tolerated regarding his medical care.

He said that Khan would be taken to any hospital of his choice, including Al-Shifa, and would be examined by specialists under medical supervision. Chaudhry called on the opposition to avoid politicizing the issue, describing it as “a sensitive medical matter” and noting that the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Yahya Afridi, is personally overseeing the case.

The minister also outlined the sequence of medical evaluations: Khan was recommended for an eye checkup at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in mid-January, a procedure was performed on January 24, and a new medical report is expected to be issued soon.

He dismissed claims that the issue had previously been raised, stating that prior examinations by jail and medical authorities did not indicate urgent intervention.

Separately, PTI has petitioned the Supreme Court to issue formal written directions ensuring that Khan is examined and treated by specialists under supervision at Shifa International Hospital, describing the matter as a “life-or-death issue” rather than a political dispute.

Khan, a former international cricket star turned politician, served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until his removal in a 2022 parliamentary no-confidence vote. He has been held at Adiala Jail since August 2023 in connection with multiple criminal cases, which Khan and his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), say are politically motivated.