Salman Raja terms govt’s refusal to allow meetings a ‘barbaric act’
islamabad
The leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) voiced grave concern on Wednesday over reports that party founder Imran Khan was taken to a hospital last week without informing his party or family, calling it “abuse” and demanding immediate access to him.
Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023, currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. In addition, he faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) related to the protests of May 9, 2023. The party had expressed concern a day ago over Imran’s health, alleging that jail authorities and the government were obstructing treatment for a “serious eye condition” and demanding immediate medical care.
Concerns about Imran’s health were raised at a press conference addressed by Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, alongside PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Salman Akram Raja.
Abbas said the leadership was disturbed by news circulating about Imran’s health. Commenting on the matter, he said reports suggested that Imran was taken to a hospital without the knowledge of either his family or his party.
“This is an abuse. They think that this will hurt his family and the people; this is their mistake. The people are hating them (the state) day by day,” he said.
Raja also expressed serious concern over the reports and demanded an immediate meeting with Imran and Bushra Bibi.
“A person who is ill, about whom reports are emerging that there are serious concerns regarding his health — why was he brought to a hospital, and why are we not being informed about this?” Raja said, citing a local media report which stated that sometime between Saturday and Sunday night, Imran was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
He said the reports had amplified the party’s concerns many times over, adding that it was demanding immediate permission to meet Imran. Raja further said he fully endorsed the same demand regarding Bushra Bibi, stressing that “the solitary confinement in which she has been placed must be ended immediately.”
