Imran | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: PTI lawyer Salman Safdar on Tuesday met ex-premier Imran Khan at Adiala jail, saying that the party founder appeared fine healthwise. The meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, came after the Supreme Court earlier in the day allowed Safdar to meet Imran. Speaking to reporters outside the jail, Safdar said that Imran was fine and was looking healthy. However, he did not share further details about the meeting, saying that he had to submit a report to the court. He said once the report was submitted to the court, he would be able to share the details. SC allows lawyer to meet Imran Earlier in the day, the SC had allowed Safdar to meet Imran, declaring him amicus curiae. The development came a day after a request for an ‘urgent’ meeting — submitted by senior PTI leader Latif Khosa — was rejected by a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. The bench observed that such an order could not be passed without hearing the other side. Hence...

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday said PTI’s memorandum — requesting immediate jail visitation rights for party founder Imran Khan with his family, doctors, lawyers and friends — had been conveyed to the “relevant executive authorities” for appropriate consideration in accordance with law. On Friday, the party members and parliamentarians, led by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, had submitted the memorandum to the SC registrar. The party had regretted in the memorandum to Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi that Imran’s access to his family and lawyers was again denied on Tuesday, the day fixed by the court for meetings with his relatives and counsels. In a press release issued on Saturday, the SC said that on January 30, the KP chief minister and PTI lawmakers gathered in front of the SC to convey their concerns about access to Imran. “The registrar engaged with their representatives and assured that the concerns would be brought into the notice of the chief justice,” it said. It went on to s...

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday that the “detailed” medical reports of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan had been handed over to the family. His post on the social media platform X came hours after the PTI again approached the Supreme Court (SC) seeking Imran’s medical report and visitation rights for his personal doctors and family members. In the post, the minister noted that National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai had written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while PTI leaders had also approached the apex court “regarding medical checkup of Imran Ahmad Niazi, who is serving his sentences in Central Jail, Rawalpindi”. “On directions from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), a detailed report has been sent by the executive director of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) hospital to the superintendent of Central Jail, Rawalpindi (Adiala), which has been handed over to the family,” he said. According to the report sent by Pims Executive Directo...

ISLAMABAD: The leadership of the PTI and the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on Thursday unanimously announced that they would not compromise on the health of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, and urged the nation to join the nationwide shutter-down strike scheduled for February 8 (Sunday). The remarks were made during a meeting of the PTI’s joint parliamentary committee at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad. The meeting was attended by prominent political leaders, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and PTI stalwarts Asad Qaiser and Taimoor Saleem Jhagra, among others. The meeting was closed off to the media. Addressing the participants, Qaiser said that the meeting was called because of Imran’s health. He said that representatives of 40 million people were in attendance and unanimously announced that they would not compromise on the health of the PTI founder. “Don’t push us against the wall; other...

Kasim Khan, the son of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, said on Wednesday that the government was “deliberately” refusing to process his and his brother’s visas. In a post on X, Kasim said, “My brother and I are trying to travel to Pakistan to see our father. For 914 days, he has been held in solitary confinement while his health deteriorates and he is denied access to independent medical care. “Now the government is deliberately refusing to process our visas. Denying a prisoner treatment is cruel. Denying his children the right to see him is collective punishment,” he said. “I call on international human rights organisations and governments to speak out and act before irreversible harm is done,” he said. Kasim and his older brother Suleiman live in London with their mother, Jemima Goldsmith. The development comes as the government last week admitted that Imran was treated at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), days after reports regarding the treatment of the former premier emerged in main...

ISLAMABAD: The PTI accused police of subjecting its workers to violence and arresting them near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where they were staging a sit-in on Tuesday. The IHC has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesday and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, the ex-premier has not been allowed any visitors for weeks, including his sisters and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Therefore, protests and sit-ins near the Adiala jail, where Imran has been incarcerated since September 2023, have become a usual occurrence on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On several occasions, police have also used force to disperse the protesters, who often camp at Factory Naka — a police picket near the prison. Imran’s sisters and supporters again staged a sit-in near the prison today while a PTI post on social media platform alleged that police had inflicted violence on party workers and arrested them as well. A livestream on the PTI’s YouTube channel showed one of Imran’s...

ISLAMABAD: The National Dialogue Committee (NDC) on Saturday expressed concern about the health of incarcerated PTI founder and ex-premier Imran Khan, demanding that he be allowed to meet his personal physician. The development two days after the government confirmed Imran underwent a medical procedure for an eye ailment last week at a hospital in Islamabad, drawing outrage from the PTI that claimed that neither the party nor his family were informed about the procedure. On Saturday, the NDC — set up by ex-PTI leaders, including Fawad Chaudhry, Dr Shahzad Waseem and former Sindh governor Imran Ismail — met in Islamabad. Chaudhry, Ismail, former Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar and veteran politician Munir Ahmad Khan were among those who attended. In a statement released after the meeting, the NDC expressed serious concern over the PTI founder’s health as well as the government’s confirmation that Imran underwent an eye procedure last week. It demanded that a meeting be arranged between Imran and his personal physi...

The executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikander, revealed early on Saturday that the eye procedure of incarcerated former premier Imran Khan was completed “smoothly” and that he remained “stable” during the intervention. The video statement by the hospital’s head comes after the PTI approached the Supreme Court on Friday, seeking its assistance in arranging a meeting between the PTI founder and his personal physicians, with the help of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had earlier confirmed that Imran underwent a “20-minute” medical procedure for an eye ailment on the night of January 24 at Pims in Islamabad. “It (the procedure) was completed smoothly in approximately 20 minutes. During the treatment, the patient remained vitally stable and was discharged with routine post-procedure care instructions and follow-up advice and documents,” said Sikander. The doctor said the former premier, aged 74, complained of...

After staging a day-long protest outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, the PTI said on Friday that the family of incarcerated premier Imran Khan would be provided a copy of his medical report. PTI’s Salman Akram Raja made the remarks while speaking to the media outside the SC building, where the party, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, staged a day-long sit-in in an effort to facilitate a meeting between Imran and his personal physicians. The development comes a day after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that Imran underwent a medical procedure for an eye ailment last week at a hospital in Islamabad. According to the minister, the former premier was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad for a “20-minute” medical procedure on the night of January 24. Speaking outside the SC premises on Friday evening, Raja said, “As you know, we have been outside the SC building all day.” Afridi and Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas were ...

State Minister for Interior Affairs Tallal Chaudhry on Friday said that the PTI could not “dictate” meetings with incarcerated party leader Imran Khan by staging sit-ins. The statement came as the party camped outside Adiala jai, where he is imprisoned, and the Supreme Court after the government confirmed Imran underwent a medical procedure for an eye ailment last week at a hospital in Islamabad. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, the state minister replied to a question about the secrecy of Imran’s treatment, stating that there was nothing secret about it. “Their (the PTI) problem is that the glass is always half-empty to them; they cannot be realistic or positive,” Chaudhry said. “They previously said that there were no health facilities and nobody was paying attention,” he explained. “If there has been a health issue, then he (Imran) was immediately taken to the best hospital nearest to the prison. He was taken, examined and then left after everything was fine.” Chaudhry noted that upholding t...

Amid reports about PTI founder Imran Khan suffering from an ailment that could permanently damage his eyesight and being taken to a hospital for treatment, the opposition on Wednesday demanded that a meeting be arranged between the ex-premier and his family. A day prior, the party said it had learned through credible reports that the ex-premier was suffering from an ailment that could cause permanent damage to his eyesight if not treated promptly. According to a senior doctor at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Imran was brought to the hospital under strict security on Saturday night for the procedure, which took quite some time. Another doctor, however, has denied this and said it was better not to discuss it as the PTI would make an issue out of such a development. During a press conference in Islamabad, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said that Imran was allegedly taken to the hospital over the weekend before being taken back to jail. He called the situation “distressing for the nation, the party an...

The PTI on Tuesday again raised concerns about the health of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan, saying it had learned through credible reports that the ex-premier was suffering from an ailment that could cause permanent damage to his eyesight if not treated promptly. In a statement released on the social media platform X, the party demanded that Imran be allowed an “unrestricted meeting” with his family and associates. It also demanded that he be allowed medical treatment at a hospital of his own choice. The statement said the party had learnt through credible media reports that Imran had been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, “resulting in a dangerous blockage in the retinal vein”. “According to medical experts who reportedly checked him in jail, this is an extremely sensitive and serious medical condition which, if not treated promptly and properly, carries a high risk of permanent damage to his eyesight,” the party said. “Despite this, the jail administration is stubbornly...

The sisters of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan on Tuesday abandoned their sit-in near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail and headed to Islamabad for a protest rally. Sit-ins a short distance away from the prison on Tuesdays and Thursdays by PTI workers and supporters, as well as Imran’s sisters, have become a usual occurrence as the former premier’s family continues to be restricted from meeting the ex-premier. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24, 2025 mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran. On Tuesday, the party and Imran’s sisters had staged a sit-in near Adiala jail after again being denied a meeting with the incarcerated prime minister. However, on Tuesday night, the party’s media coordinators told Dawn that the sisters suddenly ended the demon...

RAWALPINDI: Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters and party workers staged a sit-in at Rawalpindi’s Factory Naka on Tuesday after they were again barred from meeting the former prime minister. Sit-ins at Factory Naka — which is a short distance away from the Adiala jail — on Tuesdays and Thursdays by PTI workers and supporters, as well as Imran’s sisters, have become a usual occurrence as they continue to be restricted from meeting the ex-premier for the past several weeks. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24, 2025 mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran. Routes to the Adiala jail were blocked on Tuesday, including at Factory Naka and Dahgal Naka, amid a large police presence. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was stopped at Dahgal...

PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar on Friday said that no dialogue could be held with the government until it allowed meetings with incarcerated party founder Imran Khan. He made the remarks while speaking alongside a delegation of the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) in Lahore, which is on a three-day visit to the city as part of the opposition’s “street movement” to hold political and social gatherings. The alliance posted on X that TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas arrived on Friday at a gathering held at the residence of Advocate Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, where a large number of journalists, political leaders and PTI workers were present. Speaking during the gathering, PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar welcomed the TTAP delegation to Lahore. He urged the TTAP to use its platform to push for a meeting with Imran, who has not been allowed visitors in recent weeks. “No talks or dialogue can start until meetings are allowed with Imran,” he said. Zafar assured the TT...

Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Thursday urged political leaders and workers to take to the streets and observe a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike, while talking to reporters outside Imran’s Zaman Park residence. A TTAP delegation, led by Achakzai, departed from Islamabad to Lahore earlier today as part of the opposition’s “street movement” to hold political and social gatherings in the provincial capital. “Slogans alone will not help release PTI founder Imran Khan from jail, but people rising up on February 8 and bringing the country to a standstill will,” he said. The TTAP chief — flanked by Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Moeen Riaz Qureshi — was speaking to the media after the arrival of the opposition alliance’s caravan in Lahore. They faced obstacles such as interference by law enforcement agencies, vandalism of vehicles belonging to party leaders and supporters, and even arrests. ...

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said on Thursday that negotiations with the federal government would not take place if party founder Imran Khan is not present. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Raja said that the party’s stance on talks is very clear: “You cannot come into our house, attack us, loot us and then invite us for negotiations. “Give us an agenda, tell us what topics will be discussed,” he added. “We cannot negotiate in Imran Khan’s absence. You cannot expect to put him in a black hole while everyone else talks and the PM eats biscuits. It will not happen like that.” Raja continued, recounting that between December 2024 and January 2025, they wanted to meet Imran and have him present at the talks, but that was not authorised. He added that judicial probes into the riots on May 9, 2023, and the PTI’s Islamabad march on November 26, 2024, were also denied. “The plan seems to be an effort to bury the attack on voters on February 8, 2024, and move on from it,” the party official cl...

The sisters of incarcerated PTI leader Imran Khan and party supporters ended their sit-in near Adiala jail late on Tuesday after being given assurances of a meeting with the ex-premier being arranged next week. In a video posted by Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on the social media platform X, Imran’s sister Aleema said that Mahmood Khan Achakzai had informed them that a meeting would be arranged next week. Achakzai is the head of the TTAP opposition alliance and chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party. “This is what he reassured us about, that a meeting will be arranged next week,” Aleema said, as she looked at Achakzai, who was standing next to her along with Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir. Achakzai and Nasir had arrived at the site of the protest earlier on Tuesday. “Achakzai sahib has said that because they are saying a meeting will be arranged next week, today we should disperse ourselves before the water cannons show up. That is his advice,” she said. Recently,...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday clarified that his “only stance” was to implement PTI founder Imran Khan’s directives to run his province and prepare for the party’s street movement. Afridi had previously announced that Karachi was his next destination for galvanising party supporters after he concluded his three-day visit to Lahore, where he also met with the families of jailed senior PTI leaders. In a post on social media platform X earlier today, the KP chief minister said, “I have only one stance. My leader (Imran) has directed me to prepare for a street movement, along with running the administrative affairs of my province. “God-willing, I will implement them in letter and spirit. Any other news attributed to me would be someone’s personal assumption,” he added. About his upcoming visit to Karachi, CM Afridi said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, “respecting democratic values and his office’s dignity”, has invited him for a meeting. Afridi said he had thanked Murad for the in...

With the political impasse continuing among the country’s main stakeholders, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had not imposed any “minus Imran” condition on political engagement. A day earlier, the premier’s adviser had proposed “confidence-building measures” between the leadership of the PML-N, the PTI, and the PPP could bring down political temperatures. “Prime Minister Shehbaz has not set any condition of minus Imran Khan [from politics]. We neither seek to minus anyone nor consider it politically viable. Similar efforts were made to sideline us in the past,” Sanaullah said while speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan. As the leader of the House, PM Shehbaz has offered negotiations to the opposition, saying they [PTI] should sit with him as dialogue is key to parliamentary democracy, Sanaullah added. Maintaining that the opposition PTI had to take a step forward, the senior PML-N leader said that dialogue on behalf of the p...