Says founder’s family should be allowed to meet him, condemns terror attacks in Balochistan
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram. Photo: Express
PAKISTAN:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday rejected the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) report on party founder Imran Khan’s eye treatment and demanded that he be treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital and that his family be allowed to meet him.
PIMS had a day earlier confirmed that Imran was brought to the hospital late last Saturday and Sunday night where, after his consent was obtained, he was given an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection to treat a right central retinal vein occlusion.
PTI’s Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram speaks about Express news programme, ‘Centre Stage’, said the party did not accept any PIMS report. “Treatment of the PTI founder should be done at Shaukat Khanum and the founder’s family should be allowed to meet him. Our response is that these reports and vlogs should stop. We will not be happy with these actions,” he said.
He recalled that during the PTI government, when PML-N President Nawaz Sharif was ill, Imran had said that political differences should be put aside and no one’s life should be politicized.
Akram emphasized that public sentiment should not be exploited. “We say PTI founder should be processed at Shaukat Khanum, not PIMS,” he added.
He questioned the relevance of objections to an examination by the founder’s own doctor. “Were meetings with the founder not arranged before? Now we are being lectured on prison manuals and laws,” he said.
Reacting to National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s statement that news of Imran’s illness had been exaggerated, Akram said: “We respect Achakzai’s opinion. It is possible that he has information that we do not have.”
Read: Imran ‘treated smoothly’ for retinal condition at PIMS, CEO confirms
After a political committee meeting on Thursday, Achakzai had said that Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Aain Pakistan had already announced that February 8 would be observed as a black day. He added that the issue of Imran’s health was raised to divert workers from this goal. “I submit that Imran Khan’s health is not as bad as it has been portrayed through propaganda,” he had said.
Akram said that until meetings with the family or Dr. Asim Yousaf takes place, voters and party workers would not feel reassured. “Achakzai should take the founder to Dr. Asim himself,” he added.
He said that while Achakzai might have some information, concerns of ordinary party workers or the family could not come from anyone else.
Regarding a meeting between PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, Akram said the interaction had not been very fruitful. “Were there any tangible results from the meeting? Did the family or party leaders meet the founder?” he asked.
Separately, he condemned attacks carried out by terrorists from banned organizations in Balochistan, saying that terrorists should not have any place under any circumstances.
He added that PTI had called a meeting to discuss the situation in the province. “We condemn terrorism and action should be taken against terrorists. They should be dealt with strictly. What is the law and order situation in Balochistan? We will give an official response on the situation there,” he said.
Also read: Imran’s consent obtained for eye procedure: PIMS
He called on the government to clarify the steps taken to secure the area and outline its counter-terrorism strategy, stressing that political differences should not overshadow the need to protect the country. “Political differences aside, terrorists should not be given any space. The security of the state of Pakistan is paramount,” he said.
Addressing recent controversy over a sound attributed to him, Akram said, “There is nothing controversial in my sound.”
Rejecting claims that he had blamed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, he said the matter had already been settled and the propaganda had failed. “We support Sohail Afridi because the PTI founder appointed him as the Chief Minister,” he added.
He further said that while the party supported CM Afridi, it could still discuss issues regarding him internally.
“Internal discussions took place. If there had been any wrongdoing, it would have been dealt with in a public forum. People were simply exaggerating the matter. The explanation given by party president Barrister Gohar regarding my sound is correct,” he said.
