Pak govt to form medical board for Imran Khan

Pak govt to form medical board for Imran Khanthedailystar.net

As the Pakistani opposition lawmakers continued protesting for the immediate treatment of Imran Khan for the second consecutive day, the Pak government on Saturday said it had decided to constitute a medical board and shift Khan to the hospital in light of his health condition. The statement by Parlia­mentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry came after two days of protests by the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) and the PTI at Parliament House and KP House in Islamabad, where they staged a sit-in to demand treatment for Imran Khan.

The government also allowed Khan, who is imprisoned in Adiala Jail and suffered partial vision loss in one eye, to speak to his sons on the telephone “for 20 minutes” in line with a Supreme Court order. In a tweet on Saturday night, the PML-N minister said the government was fulfilling its responsibilities to ensure the treatment of Khan, as he urged the PTI not to politicise sensitive matters such as health.

He said that the government was responsible for providing every prisoner with facilities in accordance with the law, adding that the government had agreed to constitute a medical board for the treatment of Khan and had also allowed him to speak to his children on the telephone. He said the government was fulfilling its duties and that the PTI should demonstrate restraint instead of politicising Khan’s health condition.

Similarly, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that further medical treatment of Khan would be carried out by eye specialists at a specialised medical institution. In a post on X, he said, “Pursuant to the ongoing eye treatment of Imran Khan, further check-ups and treatment will be conducted at a specialised medical facility by the best eye specialists.” “A detailed report thereof will also be submitted to the Supreme Court.

Conjecture, speculation, and efforts to turn this into political rhetoric and mileage for vested interests may please be avoided,” he said. It may be noted that the apex court earlier this week directed the government to form a medical board to examine the former prime minister and allow him to speak to his children by Feb 16. Speaking to Dawn, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said they would not call off the protest unless the PTI chief was moved to the Shifa International hospital in Islamabad and a family doctor was added to the medical board.

TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai also endorsed this. He said they would not accept it if the government decided to shift the former premier to the Pims hospital in the federal capital. Another leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they did not trust ministers Tarar and Chaudhry. “They have contacted us but they have noting in their hands and cannot decide. We will wait for the final outcome,” he said.

Earlier on Saturday, Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum criticised the Supreme Court for its alleged inaction in ensuring that its directives were implemented by the government. “The order should have been for Imran Khan to be shifted to Shifa International Hospital. Emergency orders for his immediate examination and treatment by specialist doctors under the supervision of his personal doctors,” she asserted.

Aleema Khan also confirmed that the former premier spoke to his sons for approximately 20 minutes and was “extremely happy to hear their voices”. Earlier, the opposition leaders, who staged a sit-in at Parliament House, claimed that the premises had been turned into a ‘prison’, as the authorities had barred everyone, including lawmakers, from entering or exiting the building. The protest was led by TTAP Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and other prominent leaders, including PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senator Ali Zafar, Asad Qaiser, and Junaid Akbar, among others.

Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said that they had been inside parliament since Friday. “We wanted to go outside, but all the gates were closed,” he said in a video posted by TTAP on X. In a post on X, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja said Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, and KP House “had been turned into a jail”. Demanding that they “be set free”, the PTI leader alleged that the state was “terrified” of them taking to the streets.

Summary

This report covers the latest developments in pakistan. The information presented highlights key changes and updates that are relevant to those following this topic.

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