ISLAMABAD — Opposition leaders staged a protest outside the Supreme Court on Monday, demanding early hearings of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan’s cases and immediate access for his family and personal doctors.
Imran Khan has remained imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since August 2023. He is serving a 14-year sentence in the £190 million corruption case and was recently convicted in another case related to state gifts. However, his health has drawn renewed concern after doctors diagnosed him with right central retinal vein occlusion in late January.
Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja joined other lawmakers at the protest, which concluded around 2pm. Participants called for a comprehensive medical examination by Imran’s personal physicians and urged authorities to transfer him to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital.
Raja said the party does not trust government medical reports, referring to findings submitted by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences to the court. Moreover, he cited concerns raised by Imran’s sister about his deteriorating condition.
Ali Muhammad Khan also pressed for hospital treatment, stating that Imran sought no special privileges. Meanwhile, Abbas urged the government to adopt confidence-building measures, including permitting family visits.
Protesters said they were unable to meet Chief Justice Yahya Afridi but pledged to continue raising the issue. Previously, the court allowed PTI lawyer Salman Safdar to visit Imran, after which he reported that only 15 percent vision remained in one eye.
Last week, the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan ended a five-day sit-in at Parliament House ahead of Ramadan. Nevertheless, leaders vowed to persist until their demands are addressed.
