TTAP criticizes government policies, demands elections and medical attention for Imran Khan

Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) on Sunday demanded immediate free and fair elections, release of political prisoners and proper medical treatment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside PTI leader and former provincial minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar criticized the government’s governance and economic policies, warning that the continuation of what it called a “hybrid regime” would amount to “playing with the country’s foundations.” He added that these demands would not create a crisis but help resolve the ongoing one.

Khokhar said the “Form 47 government” had adopted a pattern of not holding itself accountable. “The country cannot continue to function in this way. People will be further alienated and we will continue to expose their failures and show their true face to the people of Pakistan,” he said.

“When a system of government fails to deliver to the people, fails to provide economic prosperity, fails internationally and fails to maintain law and order, the people of Pakistan get fed up with it. To continue this way is tantamount to playing with the foundations of the country,” he added.

Condemning terrorism, including incidents at Islamabad’s Masjid Khadija-tul-Kubra and attacks in Balochistan, Khokhar said effective counter-terrorism required clarity of thought. Referring to the National Action Plan formed after the APS tragedy, he said it had not been properly implemented.

He further stressed the importance of political dialogue and said that genuine grievances of the people should be addressed and criticized the government for not reaching political settlements while lacking clarity in combating militancy.

He also raised concerns about regional security, warning that “clouds of war were hovering over neighboring Iran.” Referring to the deployment of two US naval strike groups, he said: “The signs are very clear about what is going to happen in our region and our brother country,” alleging attempted regime change.

Khokhar criticized Pakistan’s reported participation in US President Donald Trump’s “Peace Council”, saying the country joined without debate or consultation. “China stayed away from that peace council, the United Kingdom stayed away, France stayed away, yet we went there to give praise and introduce ourselves and nobody knows, nobody realizes,” he said.

He also questioned a reported deal involving the Roosevelt Hotel owned by Pakistan International Airlines, asking under what terms it was handed over and who benefited from it.

Meanwhile, Jhagra said foreign direct investment had fallen this year compared to last year, with about $800 million invested over seven months, while total investment as a percentage of GDP stood at just 13%. He said neither foreign nor local investors were putting money into Pakistan’s economy.

He added that poverty had risen from 22% in 2018-19 to 29% in 2024-25, unemployment was at a 21-year high and average household income had fallen by 10% compared to 2015-16.

He further criticized the government’s poverty line of Rs 282 per day as unrealistic and claimed that according to the World Bank’s benchmark of $4 a day, 130 million Pakistanis lived below the poverty line.

Jhagra also criticized the Punjab government for buying a Gulfstream luxury jet for Rs.10 billion, calling it indefensible in a country where 130 million people live below the poverty line. He claimed that the government had not answered questions about the jet purchase, extrajudicial killings by CCD, expenditure by senior officials or Rs40 billion spent on a firewall.

He reiterated that in a country where 130 million people live below the poverty line, senior officials had been provided official vehicles worth Rs110 million and fuel expenses of Rs700,000 per month.

Separately, TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai spoke about Imran Khan’s eye treatment.

“The problem regarding Imran Khan’s eye was treated with an injection administered on 25 [January]and the second course will be held on the 25 [February],” he said, adding that both TTAP and Imran’s family had demanded that he be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for further treatment.

He said that Imran’s personal doctors, Dr. Asim Yousaf and Dr. Faisal Sultan, was to be present during the treatment along with a family member “to ensure that no critical situation occurs again as it had happened in the past.”