Opposition leaders hold sit-in outside Supreme Court, demand immediate scheduling of Imran’s cases – Pakistan
Members of the opposition protested outside the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday to demand that the cases of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan be immediately scheduled for hearing and that he be allowed to meet his family.
Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in a £190 million corruption case and was convicted in another case regarding state gifts recently.
His health has been garnering attention in recent days, with his family and party raising concerns since his eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January.
Senate Opposition leader Allama Nasir Abbas and PTI leader Salman Akram Raja participated in the protest, as well as other members of the assembly, including Amir Dogar, Shafiullah Jan, Muhammad Hussain and Shahid Khattak.
The protest participants also demanded that “a complete medical examination be conducted through his personal doctors”, according to a post by the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on X.
A video shared by the TTAP showed the parliamentarians sitting on the lawn outside the SC and talking amongst themselves.
Imran’s family and associates had been barred from visiting him for several weeks until the SC’s intervention earlier this month led to PTI lawyer Salman Safdar being allowed to visit him. Following his visit, he submitted a report to the SC, which said only 15 per cent vision was left in the PTI founder’s right eye, prompting outrage and protests from the opposition against his treatment.
The TTAP had held a sit-in at the Parliament House the previous week for the fulfillment of its demands for Imran’s treatment and examination, eventually calling it off after five days in deference to the holy month of Ramazan.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon on Sunday said that Imran Khan’s release was “in his own hands” as it depended on his party’s “attitude”.
