KP CM warns against politicizing Imran Khan’s health

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday referred to a directive from Pakistan’s Supreme Court, saying that under the orders of the Chief Justice, the treatment of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan should be completed by February 16.

Afridi, reacting to recent tensions following the emergence of a report on Khan’s eye condition, took to social media platform

He called for calm and restraint amid concerns about his health, and urged party workers to remain peaceful and vigilant as he pressed for immediate medical treatment.

Read: PTI stages manifest for Imran’s health

Political temperatures rose sharply after a seven-page report submitted to the Supreme Court detailed the PTI founder’s living conditions in Adiala jail, quoting him as saying he had lost 85% vision in his right eye. The report sparked strong condemnation from the PTI, which called the alleged denial of proper medical care “gross and unforgivable negligence,” alleging that his treatment had been limited to basic eye drops for months even as his condition worsened.

In a major development, the federal government assured the high court that Khan would have access to specialist ophthalmologists for further medical evaluation and would allow him telephone contact with his children, Kasim and Sulaiman. The assurances were given during a hearing on the facilities available to the leader imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail before a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan.

Within hours, the opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), in which the PTI is a key player, announced a sit-in in front of Parliament. The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Mehmood Achakzai, warned that the government would be responsible if something happened to Khan before his demands were met. The PTI central leadership is leading the protest, with MNAs, MPAs and senators ordered to participate, adding that the sit-in would continue for an indefinite period if necessary.

Further escalating the dispute, PTI leaders alleged that Khan was taken to the hospital without proper consent and without consulting his personal doctors and family. The party demanded immediate access to trusted doctors, possible transfer to an accredited hospital for specialized treatment, restoration of family visits and legal access, and accountability of prison officials. He also warned of a broader public movement and possible legal action if their demands were not met, urging international human rights organizations and the media to take note of what he described as medical and mental torture.

In a statement addressed to “my fellow Pakistanis,” KP CM Afridi said Khan’s health was “above politics” and vowed not to politicize the issue or allow others to do so.

“Imran Khan’s health is more important to me than politics. I will not politicize it nor will I allow anyone else to do so,” Afridi said, acknowledging the “pain and anger” among his followers.

The statement urges party workers to convert their emotions into strength. “In difficult and delicate times, one has to fight with wisdom and composure. Your hidden strategy is your greatest strength,” he said.

Describing Khan as “not an ordinary person”, the KP CM noted that he is a former prime minister and life president of the country’s largest political party. He alleged that “a mockery of his health has been made, which is an unforgivable act,” and stressed that now the highest priority is his best possible medical treatment.

Read more: TTAP Sit

“No one should think that I will sit back and do nothing until Imran Khan gets treatment,” Afridi added.

Party workers who had taken to the streets without an official call were asked to remain peaceful wherever they were and support their nearby co-workers. The statement warned that Khan’s opponents, whom he accused of subjecting him to “medical terrorism,” could try to infiltrate the protests to provoke violence.

“We must be vigilant against disruptive elements and continue peaceful protests,” Afridi said, warning his followers not to believe any negative or false propaganda unless confirmed by Khan’s family or the party.

The KP CM assured the public that Khan’s treatment would be carried out under the supervision of his personal doctors and in consultation with his family, while emphasizing the need to ensure his safety along with the treatment of his reported eye condition.