Party will file IHC petition seeking access to detained leader after ending night protest outside Adiala Jail
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders staged a sit-in outside the Supreme Court on Friday, demanding access to party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and highlighting their concerns over his medical treatment.
The sit-in followed a late-night protest outside Adiala Jail, after the party filed a formal petition in the Islamabad High Court seeking access to the detained leader.
Security at the Supreme Court was beefed up ahead of the PTI leaders’ arrival, with additional staff and prisoner vans deployed around the complex.
Read: KP CM Sohail Afridi and PTI end Adiala sit-in, approach court
PTI Senator Falak Naz Chitrali was among the first to reach the Supreme Court, followed by PTI leader Latif Khosa and Senator Mirza Afridi. The PTI MPs arrived as additional prisoner vans were placed outside amid heightened security.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja came to the court to meet Chief Justice Yahya Afridi. When the Chief Justice did not meet them, they held a 10-minute meeting with the Supreme Court Clerk. Following this, Raja and Khosa met Attorney General Mansoor Usman.
Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Raja said, “We are not allowed to meet the founder of PTI. We have other options too. The eye surgery of the PTI founder was hidden from us. He was taken to the hospital and the correct time was not revealed.”
Raja said Imran was taken to PIMS Hospital for surgery, which the government denied for five days. “Yesterday, Sohail Afridi and other colleagues went to jail. Afridi was on the visitors’ list but was not allowed to meet him,” he said. “The law requires that a prisoner’s family be informed if he is taken to a hospital. We will sit here until our rights are guaranteed.”
Afridi said the PTI founder was examined in jail when he fell ill, but his family and lawyers were not informed. “The matter reached Adiala PIMS, but the family was not aware of it,” he added.
“The biggest concern is that PIMS Hospital does not have a retina specialist. Yesterday we also sat outside Adiala, met the Chief Justice and the Registrar, and we will remain here until we get a response,” Afridi said.
Amid PTI chants outside the court, Afridi was asked about the arrest warrants issued by an Islamabad court. He replied: “I don’t know what arrest warrants or in what case. I am ready to be arrested. Let anyone come and arrest me.”
Raja and Khosa sought access to the PTI founder’s medical reports during their meeting with Attorney General Mansoor Usman. Usman outlined the process for submitting the application, which the federal government is reviewing to allow access to Imran Khan’s personal doctors.
Around three dozen PTI members remained outside the court premises.
