Says if any inmate were to lose eyesight in Adiala Jail, the jail administration, provincial govt will be accountable
PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi. PHOTO: AFP
LAHORE:
Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday criticised the Punjab government and jail authorities over what he termed the denial of medical facilities and prisoners’ basic rights after reports surfaced regarding former prime minister’s Imran Khan’s eye condition.
The Supreme Court has been informed that only 15% of Imran’s vision remains in his right eye. The information was conveyed to the apex court by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) counsel Advocate Salman Safdar in a report commissioned by the SC, who quoted the former premier as saying that he had been left with only 15pc vision in his right eye following medical complications.
The court, upon receiving the report, ordered that Imran be granted access to his personal physicians in Adiala jail and allowed telephone contact with his sons.
Informally speaking with the media during his appearance at an anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Qureshi stressed that prisoners were entitled to certain rights, including access to medical treatment, which he said was the responsibility of the jail administration. Qureshi expressed sorrow over Imran’s loss of sight, saying that he was deeply saddened and could do nothing beyond offering prayers.
Holding the Punjab govt responsible, he said that if any inmate were to lose eyesight in Adiala jail, the prison administration and the provincial government would be accountable.
Read: TTAP to hold sit-in outside Parliament until meeting with Imran allowed after vision loss revelation
He alleged that former Punjab minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed could not be taken to the hospital for a scheduled check-up due to the unavailability of police security and jail guards. Similarly, he claimed that the treatment of senior PTI leader Yasmin Rashid was also delayed owing to security issues.
Qureshi further stated that his own treatment was underway at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI), adding that timely medical attention could help him avoid another surgery. However, he alleged that he was not being transported to the hospital in Lahore for check-ups due to a lack of police security.
On a separate note, he criticised recent changes in the solar energy policy, claiming that citizens had invested their savings in solar systems but were now facing uncertainty. He remarked that even the prime minister appeared powerless over the new policy.
Read more: SC orders access to personal physicians, phone calls for Imran Khan in Adiala Jail
Qureshi was referring to the power regulatory authority abolishing the exchange of electricity units in solar net metering on Monday and replacing it with a net billing framework under the Prosumer Regulations 2026. Under the new rules, utilities will be required to purchase excess electricity from prosumers, households, businesses and industries generating up to one megawatt at the national average energy purchase price, while selling electricity back to them at the applicable consumer tariff, effectively ending one-to-one net metering.
Responding to remarks by PML-N leaders about Aleema Khan, he said it was inappropriate to accuse her of shedding “crocodile tears”, adding that such insensitivity was regrettable and could happen to anyone. Qureshi emphasised that he wished to see peace in the country and opposed instability and unrest.
Referring to the security situation in Balochistan, he said he agreed with the government’s stance that India was involved in acts of terrorism there.
