Members of the opposition staged a protest outside Pakistan’s Supreme Court, demanding immediate scheduling of all cases against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and access for his family to meet him in prison. Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is currently serving a 14-year sentence in Adiala Jail for a corruption case amounting to £190 million and has faced conviction in another case involving state gifts. Concerns have been raised about his health, particularly his right Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO) eye ailment, which was disclosed in January.
Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja were among the protesters, along with other party members and leaders. The demonstrators called for a comprehensive medical examination of Imran Khan by his personal doctors. The protest, shared by the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on social media, emphasized the need for immediate hearings on Imran Khan’s cases, permission for family visits, and a thorough medical check-up.
During the protest, Salman Akram Raja expressed PTI’s distrust in government reports, stressing the necessity for a full-body check-up for Imran Khan. Ali Muhammad Khan demanded Imran Khan’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, highlighting the significance of the leader’s health for the nation’s future. Shahid Khattak criticized the treatment of Imran Khan’s health issues as a matter of ego and raised concerns about the imprisonment of Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, in political cases.
Imran Khan, in a medical report submitted to the Supreme Court, disclosed having only 15% vision remaining in his right eye. The report, presented by PTI lawyer Salman Safdar, detailed the severe damage caused by a blood clot, resulting in the limited vision. Safdar, appointed as amicus curiae by the court, visited Imran Khan in Adiala Jail and submitted the report as instructed. Imran Khan underwent an eye procedure at PIMS recently, with PTI expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of communication with his family and party leadership regarding the treatment.
