ISLAMABAD:

Is another judicial murder in the making?

Political temperatures rose sharply on Thursday as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed serious concern over the health of its incarcerated leader, Imran Khan, after a report submitted to the Supreme Court quoted him as saying he had lost 15 per cent vision in his right eye.

Within hours of the report’s details becoming public, the opposition alliance announced it would stage a sit-in outside Parliament on Friday.

The seven-page report regarding the living conditions of the former prime minister inside Adiala Jail drew immediate reaction from PTI and other opposition parties.

While PTI strongly condemned the treatment meted out to 73-year-old Imran Khan, Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), in which PTI is a major stakeholder, announced a sit-in outside Parliament.

PTI’s central leadership will lead the protest outside the main gate of Parliament House, while all National and provincial assembly members and opposition senators have been instructed to participate.

The decision was taken during consultations among opposition alliance leaders in Islamabad.

“Tomorrow (Friday) we will present our demands; If, God forbid, anything happens before our demands are accepted, then the government will be responsible. Our demands will not be illegitimate. Everything will be said within the bounds of humanity and politics,” Mehmood Achakzai, opposition leader in the National Assembly and head of the opposition alliance, announced.

The president is scheduled to address parliament the day after tomorrow. “If our sit-in continues, then how will the joint sitting take place and how will he deliver his address,” he asked.

“We do not want any disorder, but we want to make it clear that those responsible for Imran Khan’s health condition especially the superintendent , should have been summoned to Parliament. That is not happening, so we will be staging a sit-in.”

“We will also present a list of our demands. As for how long we will sit there, only God knows but once we sit, we will not leave,” he said.

In the first phase, members of parliament from the opposition would join the sit-in. However, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said that anyone could join the sit-in.

“Our senators will be there, and I hope our MNAs and MPAs will also join. After Friday prayers conclude, we will gather there and sit in protest,” Opposition Leader in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said.

“Our demand is that Khan Sahib be allowed immediate access to his doctors the physicians he trusts and who are specialists for his condition. Today is the third day since the report was submitted, although the report had effectively already made things clear to everyone. If judges have said to take certain steps by February 16, then why is government delaying responsibility until then?”

Junaid Akbar, PTI K-P president, urged all National and provincial assembly members and senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure their participation in the D-Chowk sit-in.

Earlier, PTI leaders had held a press conference describing the situation as serious and demanding immediate medical access and accountability.

PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja said Khan had endured everything without complaint, but his eye condition had worsened over the past three months.

When his vision was completely lost, the Adiala Jail superintendent was replaced.

Raja slammed authorities for keeping a major political leader in jail while the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has been unable to hear cases for over a year.

He called on the nation to respond to injustice, saying Khan should be immediately released and allowed treatment by trusted doctors.

K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi described the situation as a “criminal act” and a violation of jail rules, emphasising that Khan was taken to hospital without proper consent and without consulting his personal doctors or family.

Afridi also said the report shown to Achakzai was incorrect. “These people are lying, and we will no longer trust anything they say.”

Opposition alliance leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the report’s detailed contents revealed that Khan had completely lost vision in his eye despite repeated complaints to the jail superintendent.

Only after his eyesight was fully lost was he taken to PIMS, where only 15% of his vision returned.

He termed the situation a reminder of Pakistan’s darkest eras, where even a person’s health is neglected.

Separately, PTI issued an official statement expressing “profound concern and deep anguish” over the report. “We strongly condemn the treatment meted out to Imran Khan, particularly regarding the serious deterioration of his eyesight,” the party said, adding that the report revealed facts “sufficient to shake the conscience of every Pakistani”.

The PTI claimed that jail authorities had restricted Khan’s treatment to basic eye drops for the last three to four months while denying access to his personal physicians.

“This constitutes a grave and inexcusable act of negligence. It is not merely a medical lapse; it amounts to playing with his life and health,” the party stated, warning there would be “no compromise” on Khan’s health and rights.

The party said it would raise its voice against this injustice in every constitutional, legal, public, and international forum and reserved the right to initiate a public movement if demands remain unmet.

It emphasised that any further negligence could provoke a severe public reaction and demanded immediate, transparent and independent medical care for Khan.

The PTI also warned that any harm inflicted on Khan’s health would be legally accounted for, reserving the right to pursue proceedings against responsible officials.

The party slammed the rejection of a family member’s presence during the medical examination and the continued restriction of basic facilities, calling it deeply disappointing.

It demanded unrestricted access to Khan’s trusted doctors, transfer to a reputable hospital for specialised eye treatment if necessary, unhindered access to legal counsel, and full restoration of family visitation rights, describing any denial as a violation of justice and international norms.

The PTI urged international human rights organisations and the media to take notice, warning that prolonged solitary confinement and restricted medical and family contact constitutes mental and medical torture.