TTAP sit-in at Parliament House over Imran’s health concerns enters 3rd day
The sit-in by the main opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) at Parliament House over concerns regarding PTI founder Imran Khan’s health entered its third day on Sunday.
After the Supreme Court (SC) was informed on February 12 that Imran’s right eye had only 15 per cent vision remaining, the TTAP announced it would stage a sit-in until the ex-premier was shifted to a hospital of his personal doctors’ choice.
Although government figures on Saturday had hinted that Imran — currently incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail — will soon be shifted to a hospital, no such development had occurred till Sunday morning.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan shared visuals of him, TTAP Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, MNA Asad Qaiser and Senator Faisal Javed, among others, sitting at Parliament House.
A TTAP leader, wishing not to be named, told
Dawn that things have become more confusing rather than being streamlined.
“Last night we were informed that Imran Khan will be shifted to Shifa International Hospital [in Islamabad], but a demand was made that doctors in the medical board be changed as including doctors of our choice will give a message that the government has gone on the back foot.
“[Therefore,] we decided to show flexibility and gave names of a few more doctors, and there was an understanding that we will not reveal their names in the media,” the TTAP leader said.
He added: “However, today we have been getting messages that first we should call off the sit-in and then Imran Khan will be shifted to the hospital and a medical board will be announced. How can we call off the sit-in without implementation of our demands?” he asked.
Replying to a question, the leader said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi — who is staging a sit-in at KP House in the capital — also contacted government representatives to make it clear that the situation could go out of his control if the issue was not resolved soon.
He added that the government representatives told them that the interior minister was in Sri Lanka, while the National Assembly and Senate chairs were also abroad, making it “difficult to decide” for the authorities.
TTAP Spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai told
Dawn that it has been decided to continue the sit-in till the fulfilment of the demands.
He termed it unfortunate that the police were allegedly not allowing breakfast to be delivered inside Parliament House for the opposition leaders.
“There are a number of leaders who have diabetes, and it becomes difficult for them to maintain their sugar levels. I fear that some may faint,” he said.
He wondered why the government was not showing flexibility and taking confidence-building measures if it was serious.
A TTAP leader says things have become more confusing as opposition being asked to end sit-in first to have PTI founder moved to hospital.
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