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Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi addresses a video message on January 27, 2026. Screen recording
The opposition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) on Wednesday called off its sit-in in front of Parliament as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister announced the formation of ‘Imran Khan Liberation Force’, a new strategy to secure relief for jailed Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
The PTI and its allies have been protesting to demand eye treatment for Khan at one of the country’s main hospitals, under the supervision of his personal doctors and in the presence of family members.
The alliance formally ended its protest outside Parliament and at the same time unveiled a new political campaign for Khan’s release, amid growing concerns about his deteriorating health and alleged violations of judicial directives.
Speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas said the TTAP sit-in was concluding with the start of Ramadan, as the alliance reviews its next course of action.
Abbas said the protest was launched in response to what he described as government negligence and unconstitutional conduct regarding the treatment of Khan. He alleged that multiple cases, including terrorism charges, had been registered against him for his peaceful protests.
Referring to Khan’s condition, Abbas said a medical report submitted to the court confirmed some improvement in his eyesight, although serious concerns remained and continued monitoring was necessary. He accused prison authorities of negligence and said legal action was underway.
He asked for specialized treatment at Shifa International Hospital and demanded that Khan’s relatives and personal doctors be allowed access. “Even a slight improvement makes us happy and we pray for his full recovery,” Abbas said, stressing that transparency demands that both family members and medical professionals be allowed to see him.
A day earlier, TTAP had announced that the sit-in would continue until a meeting with Khan was secured and his treatment addressed, after reports of vision loss emerged. PTI lawyer Salman Safdar informed the high court that Khan had been left with only 15% vision in his right eye due to medical complications, sparking an outcry in opposition ranks.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the formation of the “Imran Khan Liberation Force”, declaring that a peaceful public movement had become inevitable after what he termed persistent violations of court orders.
Afridi said the force would carry out a completely peaceful struggle and would be disbanded by Khan himself upon his release. He added that the responsibility of managing the protests and negotiations had been assigned to Abbas and Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
He said the force would include members of the PTI, Insaf Students’ Federation and the party’s women’s wing, adding that it would be formally registered, operate under a clear chain of command and begin its activities only after preparations were completed.
According to Afridi, the initiative aims to guarantee constitutional supremacy, strengthen democracy and safeguard independent media. He highlighted that the PTI is a disciplined political party with a clear chain of command.
He insisted that Khan’s treatment under the supervision of his personal doctors, in the presence of his family and in a hospital that meets international standards is his constitutional and legal right, and emphasized that Khan is not an ordinary prisoner, but a former prime minister of Pakistan.
Afridi said PTI workers have been on the streets for several days without any formal call, holding completely peaceful protests. “Not even a flower pot has been broken,” he said, calling this proof that the party’s demonstrations remain constitutional and within the limits of the law.
(WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR PESHAWAR CORRESPONDENT)
