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Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi addresses a video message on January 27, 2026. SCREENGRAB
The opposition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) on Wednesday called off its sit-in outside Parliament as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister announced the formation of the ‘Imran Khan Release Force’, a new strategy to secure relief for jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
The PTI and its allies have protested to demand eye treatment for Khan in one of the country’s top hospitals, under the supervision of his personal doctors and in the presence of family members.
The alliance formally ended its protest outside parliament, while unveiling a new political campaign for Khan’s release, amid growing concerns over his deteriorating health and alleged violations of court directives.
Speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas said the TTAP sit-in ended with the start of Ramazan as the alliance reviews its next course of action.
Abbas said the protest had been launched in response to what he described as the government’s negligence and unconstitutional behavior regarding Khan’s treatment. He claimed that several cases, including terrorism charges, had been registered against them for their peaceful demonstrations.
Referring to Khan’s condition, Abbas said a medical report submitted to the court confirmed some improvement in his vision, although serious concerns remained and continued monitoring was required. He accused prison authorities of negligence and said legal proceedings were underway.
He called for specialist treatment at Shifa International Hospital and demanded access to Khan’s family members and personal doctors. “Even a small improvement makes us happy and we pray for his full recovery,” Abbas said, stressing that transparency required both relatives and doctors to be allowed to see him.
A day earlier, TTAP had announced it would continue the sit-in until a meeting with Khan was secured and his treatment dealt with after reports of vision loss emerged. PTI’s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, informed the Supreme Court that Khan had been left with only 15% sight in his right eye following medical complications, sparking an outcry from opposition ranks.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the formation of the ‘Imran Khan Release Force’ and stated that a peaceful public movement had become inevitable after what he called persistent violations of court orders.
Afridi said the force would wage a completely peaceful struggle and would be disbanded by Khan even after his release. He added that the responsibility of managing protests and negotiations had been assigned to Abbas and Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
He said the force would include members of the PTI, Insaf Students Federation and the party’s women’s wing, adding that it would be formally registered, operate under a clear chain of command and begin activities only after preparations were completed.
According to Afridi, the initiative aims to ensure constitutional supremacy, strengthen democracy and protect an independent media. He emphasized that PTI is a disciplined political party with a clear chain of command.
He insisted that Khan’s treatment under the supervision of his personal doctors, in the presence of his family and in a hospital that meets international standards is his constitutional and legal right, stressing that Khan is not an ordinary prisoner but the former prime minister of Pakistan.
Afridi said PTI workers have been on the streets for several days without any formal call and staged completely peaceful protests. “Not even a flower pot has been broken,” he noted, calling it proof that the party’s demonstrations remain constitutional and within the bounds of the law.
(With input from our PESHAWAR CORRESPONDENT)
