KP CM warns against politicizing Imran Khan’s health

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday referred to a directive from the Supreme Court of Pakistan and said that jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s treatment should be completed by February 16 as per the order of the chief justice.

Afridi, who was reacting to the recent tensions following the emergence of a report on Khan’s eye condition, took to the social media platform X and said that the matter should not be politicised, stressing that the treatment must continue as per the directives of the courts.

Calling for calm and restraint amid concerns over his health, he urged party workers to remain peaceful and vigilant as they push for his immediate medical treatment.

Read: PTI stages rally over Imran’s health

Political temperatures soared after a seven-page report submitted to the Supreme Court detailed the living conditions of the PTI founder in Adiala jail and quoted him as saying he had lost 85% vision in his right eye. The report drew strong condemnation from the PTI, which termed the alleged denial of proper medical care “gross and inexcusable negligence” and claimed that his treatment had been limited to basic eye drops for months despite a deteriorating condition.

In a major development, the federal government assured the top court that Khan would be given access to specialist ophthalmologists for a new medical assessment and allowed telephone contact with his sons, Kasim and Sulaiman. The assurances were given during a hearing on facilities available to the jailed leader in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail before a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan.

Within hours, the opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), in which the PTI is a key player, announced a sit-in outside parliament. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mehmood Achakzai warned that the government would be responsible if anything happened to Khan before their demands were met. The PTI central leadership is leading the protest, with MNAs, MPAs and senators asked to participate, adding that the sit-in would continue for an indefinite period if necessary.

To further intensify the controversy, PTI leaders claimed that Khan was taken to the hospital without proper consent and without consulting his personal doctor or family. The party demanded immediate access to trusted doctors, possible transfer to a reputable hospital for specialized treatment, restoration of family visits and legal access and accountability for prison officials. It also warned of a wider public movement and possible legal action if its demands were not met, urging international human rights organizations and the media to take notice of what it described as medical and mental torture.

In a statement addressed to “my fellow Pakistanis,” KP CM Afridi said Khan’s health was “above politics” and vowed neither to politicize the issue nor allow others to do so.

“Imran Khan’s health is more important to me than politics. I will neither politicize it myself nor allow anyone else to do so,” Afridi said, acknowledging the “sorrow and anger” among supporters.

The statement urged party workers to turn their emotions into strength. “In difficult and delicate times, one must fight with wisdom and calmness. Your hidden strategy is your greatest strength,” he said.

The KP CM described Khan as “not an ordinary person”, noting that he is a former prime minister and lifelong chairman of the country’s largest political party. He claimed that “a mockery has been made of his health, which is an inexcusable act,” and stressed that his best possible medical treatment was now the top priority.

Read more: TTAP sit-in

“No one should think that I will sit idle until Imran Khan receives treatment,” Afridi added.

Party workers who had taken to the streets without an official call were asked to remain peaceful wherever they were and support colleagues nearby. The statement warned that Khan’s opponents, whom it accused of exposing him to “medical terrorism”, could try to infiltrate protests to provoke violence.

“We must keep an eye on disruptive elements and continue peaceful protest,” Afridi said, warning supporters not to believe any negative or false propaganda unless confirmed by Khan’s family or the party.

The KP CM assured the public that Khan’s treatment would be carried out under the supervision of his personal doctors and in consultation with his family, while stressing the need to ensure his safety alongside treatment of his reported eye ailment.