ISLAMABAD: The TTAP’s sit-in outside Parliament entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with access roads to Parliament House reopened, as party leaders expressed hope that at least one family member of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan or a senior party figure would be permitted to meet him.
On Monday, the opposition alliance decided to prolong the protest, which began on Friday, for another day to gauge the government’s response to its demand for access to the former prime minister. Concerns about Imran’s health intensified after a medical report was issued following his examination at Adiala Jail on Sunday.
TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai told Dawn that Tuesday was a scheduled meeting day with Imran. He said two sit-in participants — Salman Akram Raja and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan — would visit Adiala Jail, as their names were on the approved list for a meeting with the PTI founder.
He added that the party was also hopeful that all three sisters, or at least one family member, would be allowed to meet Imran. “This will help dispel rumours regarding his health, as they will hear directly from him and share his views,” Yousafzai said.
Responding to a question, he urged the government to facilitate the meeting, arguing that it could help ease tensions if the medical report about Imran’s condition was accurate. “Over the past two years, we have been misled multiple times, which has eroded trust,” he remarked.
Yousafzai further said that after meeting Imran, his three sisters would address a press conference. He also revealed that he met KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi late Monday night, where it was decided to hold another meeting in the evening to determine the next phase of the protest movement.
Imran’s family and close associates had reportedly been denied access to him for several weeks until the Supreme Court intervened last week, allowing PTI lawyer Salman Safdar to meet him. In a report submitted to the apex court, Safdar quoted Imran as saying that only 15 per cent vision remained in his right eye.
The opposition alliance subsequently launched the sit-in at Parliament House, demanding proper medical examination and treatment for Imran.
Separately, PTI lawmakers staged a protest outside the Parliament Lodges, while KP CM Sohail Afridi led a demonstration at KP House.
Party, family reject medical report
Imran’s party and family have dismissed the medical report issued by a team of doctors who examined him on Sunday, reiterating their demand that he be shifted to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital in the presence of his personal physicians.
In a post on X, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram cited a statement by Imran’s longtime personal doctor, Dr Aasim Yusuf, who had spoken to the medical team currently treating the former premier.
According to Akram, Dr Yusuf stated that he neither met nor examined Imran and was therefore unable to confirm or refute the findings of the report.
The PTI rejected the report and demanded that Imran be immediately granted access to his family and personal physician, and be examined at Shifa International Hospital.
Akram alleged that allowing a selected medical team to examine Imran had raised further concerns and insisted that the only way to remove doubts was to have him examined at Shifa International on the recommendation of his family and personal doctor.
Earlier, Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum also rejected the medical reports circulating in the media, stating that there was no way to independently verify their authenticity.
She expressed heightened concern over her brother’s health and reiterated the family’s demand that he be urgently transferred to Shifa International Hospital for examination by qualified specialists under Dr Aasim Yusuf’s supervision and in the presence of his family.
Aleema announced that she and other family members would arrive at Adiala Jail at 1:30pm to seek a meeting with Imran, adding that they expected authorities to respect his legal right to family visitation. She said the family would hold a press conference outside the jail at 4pm following the meeting.