TTAP Vows to Continue Parliament Sit-In Over Imran Khan’s Health Until Demands Met

Barrister Gohar Warns of Nationwide Protests If PTI Blocked from Designated Site

ISLAMABAD: Following alarming reports about vision loss suffered by PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) staged a sit-in at Parliament House on Friday, vowing to continue the protest until their demands are met — even if it means spending the entire month of Ramazan demonstrating.

Islamabad's Red Zone was sealed on Friday, with police preventing lawmakers from approaching Parliament House amid Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) sit-in, protesting the what they said negligence in the treatment of jailed former prime minister and party founder Imran Khan's eye ailment.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court (SC) was informed that Imran Khan’s right eye retains only 15 per cent vision, triggering a strong reaction from his party. In response, the TTAP announced a sit-in outside Parliament House, which later shifted from the outer premises to the main hallway of the building and continued late into the night.

Barrister Gohar warned that if the party was not allowed to hold its protest at the designated site, demonstrations would be staged across the country. "We want to steer matters in the right direction. If the situation slips from our hands, the government will not be able to control it," he warned.

The PTI chief further said that the party founder had authorised Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas to lead the protest.

Meanwhile, police shut the gates of the Parliament Lodges as PTI parliamentarians attempted to leave to participate in the sit-in.

Speaking to the media, Achakzai said the sit-in would remain peaceful, urging that the PTI founder's personal physician and family should be allowed to meet him. Achakzai demanded that the PTI founder be moved to a hospital of his choice immediately for medical examination.

He warned that if proper medical arrangements were not made, the ongoing sit-in could escalate further. "Our biggest demand and point is the PTI founder's health," he said.

Citing the report submitted to the Supreme Court, Achakzai said that Imran's vision has significantly worsened, urging authorities to declare the hospital a "sub-jail" to ensure the former premier's treatment while maintaining custody.

"Imran Khan is not just a former prime minister, but also a human being and a prisoner," he said. "It's a matter of just ten minutes for a doctor's check-up before transferring him to Shifa Hospital." In a video message posted on X, TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai said the alliance planned to spend the night at Parliament House.

“In the morning, we will return after changing clothes and shaving. If the protest is prolonged, the entire Ramazan will be spent staging sit-ins,” he vowed. Earlier, the alliance declared that the protest would “continue until Imran is admitted to Shifa International Hospital.” It stressed that “no compromise will be made on Imran Khan’s health.”

Ahead of the demonstration, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said party lawmakers reached Parliament “after overcoming all obstacles placed in their way.” He said he, along with Achakzai, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Shahram Khan Tarakai and Shandana Gulzar, discussed the prevailing situation and deliberated on the future course of action.

Qaiser later shared footage of the sit-in, stating that the opposition was demanding that Imran Khan be provided medical facilities in the presence of his family and personal physician.

“Providing the best medical care is Imran Khan’s legal and constitutional right. No compromise will be made on his health. If our demands are not met, we will announce our next course of action,” he said.

TTAP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar alleged that the government had cordoned off all roads leading to Parliament ahead of the protest. He further claimed that the gates of parliamentary lodges were shut, confining MNAs and senators inside to prevent them from joining the demonstration. “This does not reflect strength, but weakness,” he said.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was also in Islamabad. His focal person for digital media, Yar Muhammad Khan Niazi, claimed in a post on X that Islamabad police forcibly stopped the chief minister and provincial assembly members from reaching Parliament House. As a result, they staged a sit-in outside KP House in the federal capital.

PTI further alleged that Special Assistant to the KP Chief Minister on Information Shafi Jan was manhandled by police. Speaking later on a private TV channel, Jan said a large contingent of police and prison vans had surrounded KP House as they attempted to leave for Parliament. He claimed officers stopped them at a barrier, grabbed his collar and pushed him into a prison van, causing a minor head injury. He termed the conduct of the federal authorities “unfortunate.”

PTI Calls for Written SC Orders

Separately, PTI stated that its lawmakers were “forcibly barred” from participating in the protest and subjected to mistreatment.

“There have been reports of misbehaviour toward women and them being roughed up,” the party alleged. The party also criticised the delay in the issuance of written orders by the Supreme Court regarding Imran Khan’s medical examination. It demanded immediate access for Imran to his personal and specialist physicians, permission for family visits, and his immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital for treatment.

PTI further called for an investigation into the alleged use of force against parliamentarians and legal action against those responsible.

Addressing Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, the party said it required formal written directions to ensure that Imran Khan is examined by specialists and treated under the supervision of his own doctors at Shifa International Hospital.

“This is not politics. This is not about power. This is about Imran Khan’s life,” the party stated. Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, also expressed concern in a post on X, saying the family had yet to receive written orders from the Supreme Court regarding his eye examination.

“It is 3:40pm on Friday, February 13 — nearly 30 hours after the jail visit report was presented before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Yet no orders have been issued for Imran Khan to be shifted to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, for examination and treatment by specialist doctors under the supervision of his personal medical team,” she wrote. In an earlier post, she noted that despite the court’s deadline of February 16, the directive could not be implemented without a formal written order. “Given the urgency and the risk to his eyesight, why has the Chief Justice delayed issuing the written orders?” she questioned.

Credit: The Global Times