Memo makes attendance mandatory starting February 23; party seeks family access and personal doctors
PTI founder Imran Khan gestures while addressing his supporters during a rally in Lahore on April 21, 2022. Photo: REUTERS
PESHAWAR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has ordered all its lawmakers to ensure mandatory attendance as the party prepares to hold daily protests outside Pakistan’s Supreme Court starting February 23, as part of a campaign seeking a full medical check-up of its jailed founder Imran Khan.
According to an official party memo, made public on Tuesday, attendance outside the Supreme Court would be “mandatory… until further instructions.”
In a document titled ‘Office Memo’ dated February 22 and issued from the party’s Central Secretariat, the PTI said: “As part of the campaign to obtain a complete medical check-up of our illegally imprisoned Founder President, the party has decided that the following persons will be present every day until our demands are met in front of the office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan at the High Court of Pakistan Islamabad from 09:00 am till the court session from February 23.”
The statement said mandatory attendance applies to all senators, all members of the National Assembly, all members of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly and members of the Punjab Assembly from February 24.
The memorandum further states that those who cannot attend “should inform the Additional Secretary General in writing before the end of today, clearly stating the reason why they should be excused.”
Imran has been jailed since August 2023 and is currently serving time in Adiala Jail for a £190 million corruption case. He also faces pending lawsuits under the Anti-Terrorism Law in connection with the May 9, 2023 protests.
Read: Imran taken to PIMS for treatment
The party has stepped up calls for his release after a medical report submitted to the court said his vision in his right eye had decreased to 15%. The government maintains that it is receiving the best care.
On Monday, PTI staged a protest outside the Supreme Court, demanding that all cases against Imran be fixed for immediate hearing.
Protesters urged authorities to allow Imran’s relatives to meet him and called for a full medical examination by his personal doctors. PTI said the former prime minister’s legal matters should be addressed without further delay and his medical concerns should be addressed in a transparent manner.
The protest was attended by several senior party leaders and elected representatives, including Salman Akram Raja and Aamir Dogar.
