DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The provincial minister for information and public relations Shafi Jan on Monday voiced serious concern over reports regarding the health of PTI founder chairman Imran Khan, demanding immediate access to his sisters and personal physicians and announcing a sit-in by party lawmakers outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad today (Tuesday).
In a statement issued here, Shafi Jan said the party and the public were “deeply worried” about Mr Khan’s condition and called for full disclosure of facts regarding his health.
“Any compromise on Imran Khan’s health is unacceptable,” Mr Jan said. “The continued ban on meetings reflects the authoritarian style of governance of the federal and Punjab governments.”
He demanded that Mr Khan be allowed to meet his sisters and personal doctors without delay, and that he be treated in “the best hospital under the supervision of his own physicians.”
The minister alleged that Mr Khan had been held in solitary confinement for the last nine months and had been denied access to family, doctors and party leadership.
He contrasted this with past cases, noting that Nawaz Sharif had been granted relief on medical grounds in the past, and Maryam Nawaz was given bail to attend to her father.
“Rulers in the Centre and Punjab seek treatment abroad even for minor ailments, but Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are being denied basic medical facilities and access to personal doctors,” he added.
Announcing the party’s next steps, Mr Jan said that in line with an announcement by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, all PTI members of the National and provincial assemblies and senators would stage a sit-in outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Tuesday, Aug 11, to press for basic medical care, hospital transfer and other necessary facilities for Mr Khan.
He said the party had approached every constitutional and legal forum on the issue.
The minister warned that if a meeting with Mr Khan’s sisters was not arranged by Tuesday, all parliamentarians would gather outside Adiala Jail on Thursday.
“Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has made no unconstitutional or illegal demand. Meeting Imran Khan and providing him medical facilities is his basic constitutional and legal right. Unfortunately, the fake governments in the Centre and Punjab are committing serious violations of the Constitution, law and fundamental human rights,” Mr Jan said.
He further announced that PTI would hold a “massive long march” toward Islamabad on Sept 27, saying “there is no other option left except the long march.”
