ISLAMABAD — Tensions rose in Pakistan’s capital on Saturday as a protest sit-in entered its second day, with opposition leaders demanding urgent medical treatment for former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, whose health they say is rapidly deteriorating, according to The Express Tribune.
The government announced that Khan would receive further examination at a “specialised medical institution” for his ongoing eye condition. Information Minister Tarar said specialists would assess him and a report would be submitted to the Supreme Court. He urged the public to avoid speculation.
However, opposition leaders described the move as another delay in providing direct treatment at Shifa International Hospital, where they insist he should be transferred immediately under the supervision of his personal doctors.
The sit-in, organized by the Tehreek-e-Tahfuz-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), is being held outside Parliament House. Senior leaders including Raja Nasir Abbas, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan vowed to continue their protest until Khan is moved to what they call an appropriate and fully equipped medical facility.
Police sealed Islamabad’s Red Zone, blocking key roads and restricting access to Parliament and surrounding areas. Protest leaders claimed food and water supplies were cut off, calling the restrictions “inhuman.”
Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, confirmed that he was allowed a 20-minute phone call with his sons. She warned that the “intentional delay” in proper treatment had already damaged his eyesight and could lead to permanent vision loss. “We cannot tolerate further delay,” she said, urging immediate specialist care.
Opposition figures allege that instead of transferring Khan directly to a suitable hospital, authorities are engaging in negotiations, offering limited family access, and proposing conditional arrangements. They argue that such bureaucratic steps amount to delaying tactics while his condition worsens.
As the standoff continues, the health of Pakistan’s former prime minister has become the center of a growing political storm, one that blends questions of medical urgency with accusations of political maneuvering.
