PTI-TTAP sit-in reaches fifth day as leaders consult

ISLAMABAD:

The sit-in by Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with protests continuing at two places within the Red Zone of the federal capital.

The sit-in, held on the Parliament premises, is led by the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and the leader of the opposition in the Senate, Raja Nasir Abbas, is also present. The parliamentary rally is also attended by PTI chairman, lawyer Gohar Ali Khan, party leader Asad Qaiser and several senators.

Simultaneously, a separate sit-in is taking place at the main gate of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, where Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is present. More prison vans have been placed outside KP House.

Read: PTI restarts protest at KP House after reviewing Imran’s health report

Meanwhile, a meeting is taking place in the Opposition House under the chairmanship of Achakzai. Raja Nasir Abbas, Advocate Gohar and PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja participate in the session, during which consultations on the ongoing sit-in are being held. The meeting is expected to determine the future course of action.

The ongoing sit-ins are linked to concerns over the health of former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan. The demonstration by opposition lawmakers began on Friday and continued despite government assurances.

The lawmakers, led by Achakzai and Abbas, have vowed that their sit-in will not end until Imran is transferred to specialized care. Protesters have cited reports that his vision in his right eye has deteriorated significantly and have demanded treatment in the presence of his family and personal doctors.

Rawalpindi has been placed on high security alert around Adiala Jail amid possible security concerns. Aleema’s attempt to reach the jail from Chakri Interchange was thwarted when the police detained her and her sisters at Chakri Naka.

Check posts have reportedly been set up at five locations along Adiala Road, including Chakri Interchange, Gorakh Pur, Factory Naka, Adiala Jail and Dahgal. Heavy police contingents and prisoner vans have also been deployed at each point, and the authorities have taken full control of Marble Factory Naka.

Authorities also imposed a ban on the entry of unrelated people to the area and five people have already been detained, according to Rawalpindi police.
Section 144 remains in force throughout Rawalpindi, and authorities warn that any violation will result in immediate arrest.

PTI rejects medical report

The medical board constituted by the federal government reported improvement in vision in Imran’s right eye. The board, comprising two senior ophthalmologists, Dr Nadeem Qureshi and Dr Arif, examined him at Adiala Jail on Sunday.

According to the two-page report, unaided vision in Imran’s right eye was recorded at 6/24 (partial), while that in the left eye measured 6/9. With glasses, vision improved to 6/9 (partial) in the right eye and 6/6 in the left. The report indicated that the anterior segment of both eyes was normal and the cornea was clear, although he noted mild vitreous hemorrhage at the edge of the right eye and moderate retinal hemorrhage in all four quadrants.

The report added that the swelling in the macula of the right eye was decreasing and the macular thickness was reduced from 550 to 350 microns.

The board described ongoing medication and treatment and recommended OCT angiography and fundus fluorescein angiography after completion of anti-VEGF therapy. However, he did not make any recommendation for Imran’s transfer to a hospital.

Read more: PTI’s Latif Khosa expresses concern over Imran’s health and secrecy of medical examination in letter to CJP

However, PTI leader Latif Khosa expressed concern over Imran’s health and the secrecy surrounding his medical examination in a letter to Yahya Afridi, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), on Monday.

Imran’s sister Aleema Khan also posted on

“Tomorrow we will be at Adiala Jail at 1:30 p.m. and we hope that the authorities will allow us to meet Imran Khan as it is his legal right,” Aleema said, adding that the family would hold a press conference outside the jail at 4:00 p.m. after the meeting.