Says that if any inmate loses his sight in Adiala Jail, the Jail Administration, Provincial Government will be responsible
PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi. PHOTO: AFP
LAHORE:
Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday criticized the Punjab government and prison authorities over what he called denial of medical facilities and basic rights of prisoners after reports emerged about former prime minister Imran Khan’s eye condition.
The Supreme Court has been informed that only 15% of Imran’s vision remains in his right eye. The information was disclosed to the apex court by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) counsel Barrister Salman Safdar in a report commissioned by the SC, which quoted the former prime minister as saying that he had been left with only 15 per cent. vision in his right eye after medical complications.
The court, after receiving the report, ordered Imran to give access to his personal doctors in Adiala jail and allowed telephone contact with his sons.
Speaking informally to the media during his appearance at an anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Qureshi stressed that prisoners were entitled to certain rights, including access to medical treatment, which he said was the responsibility of the prison administration. Expressing grief over Imran’s loss of sight, Qureshi said he was deeply saddened and could do nothing but pray.
Holding the Punjab government responsible, he said that if any inmate were to lose their sight in the Adiala jail, the jail administration and the provincial government would be responsible.
Read: TTAP to hold sit-in outside parliament until meeting with Imran is allowed after revelation of sight loss
He claimed that former Punjab Chief Minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed could not be taken to the hospital for a scheduled check-up due to the unavailability of police security and jail guards. Similarly, he claimed that the treatment of senior PTI leader Yasmin Rashid was also delayed due to security concerns.
Qureshi further stated that his own treatment was underway at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI), adding that timely medical attention could help him avoid another surgery. However, he alleged that he was not transported to the hospital in Lahore for check-up due to lack of police security.
On a separate note, he criticized the recent changes in solar policy, claiming that citizens had invested their savings in solar systems but now faced uncertainty. He noted that even the Prime Minister seemed powerless in the face of the new policy.
Read more: SC orders access to personal doctors, phone calls to Imran Khan in Adiala jail
Qureshi was referring to the electricity regulator scrapping the exchange of electricity units in solar net metering on Monday and replacing it with a net billing framework under the Prosumer Regulations 2026. Under the new rules, utilities will be required to buy excess electricity from prosumers, households, businesses and industries generating up to one megawatt applicable to the prevailing electricity price at the national consumer price, while selling back to the applicable energy price to the national energy price. effectively end one-to-one net measurement.
Reacting to remarks made by PML-N leaders about Aleema Khan, he said it was inappropriate to accuse her of shedding “crocodile tears”, adding that such insensitivity was regrettable and could happen to anyone. Qureshi stressed that he wanted to see peace in the country and opposed instability and unrest.
Referring to the security situation in Balochistan, he said he agreed with the government’s stand that India was involved in acts of terrorism there.
