Opposition leaders stage protest outside Supreme Court, demand immediate scheduling of Imran’s cases
Members of the opposition protested outside the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday to demand that the cases of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan be immediately scheduled for hearing and that he be allowed to meet his family.
Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja participated in the protest, which ended at around 2pm.
Other leaders present included chief whip Amir Dogar, MNAs Ali Muhammad Khan and Shahid Khattak, MPA Shafiullah Jan, and Muhammad Hussain.
The protest participants also demanded that “a complete medical examination be conducted through his personal doctors”, according to a post by the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on X.
Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in a £190 million corruption case and was convicted in another case regarding state gifts recently.
His health has been garnering attention in recent days, with his family and party raising concerns since his eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January.
Abbas urged the government to take “confidence-building measures”, which included allowing Imran’s family and personal physicians to meet him.
“We consider these rulers Form-47 ones but any talks would still be held with them,” the Senante opposition leader said.
Speaking to reporters, the PTI secretary general said the party does not trust “any government report”, apparently referring to one submitted to SC by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
“This is not a moment where we organise a movement or hold talks,” Raja said, noting the concerns of Imran’s sister Uzma Khanum regarding her brother’s life.
Raja further lamented that they were unable to meet with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, adding that he would again attempt to meet him.
“Not just the PTI founder’s eye but his body needs a checkup,” he contended.
Ali Muhammad also demanded that Imran be taken to a hospital, adding that the ex-premier was “not asking for anything special”.
“It is through the leader’s eye that the nation sees its future,” the MNA remarked, calling for the PTI founder to be taken to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital as demanded by his personal doctors and family.
“With so much concerns being raised about Imran Khan’s eye issue everywhere especially at the level of apex court of the country, it’s strange the government has taken so long to take the critical decision of shifting him to hospital. It’s about time that government shouldn’t delay more,” he had said earlier on X.
Meanwhile, Khattak lamented that “our leaders’ treatment has been made into an issue of ego”.
He further said that Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi was also jailed in “political cases”. The lawmaker asserted that he and other party leaders would “again and again come here (to SC) and keep reminding” of the matter.
A video shared by the TTAP earlier in the day showed the opposition members sitting on the lawn outside the SC and talking amongst themselves.
Imran’s family and associates had been barred from visiting him for several weeks until the SC’s intervention earlier this month led to PTI lawyer Salman Safdar being allowed to visit him. Following his visit, he submitted a report to the SC, which said only 15 per cent vision was left in the PTI founder’s right eye, prompting outrage and protests from the opposition against his treatment.
The TTAP had held a sit-in at the Parliament House the previous week for the fulfillment of its demands for Imran’s treatment and examination, eventually calling it off after five days in deference to the holy month of Ramazan.
