ISLAMABAD: The National Dialogue Committee (NDC) on Saturday voiced serious concern over the health of incarcerated PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, demanding that he be immediately allowed to meet his personal physician.
The demand comes two days after the government confirmed that Imran underwent a medical procedure for an eye ailment at a hospital in Islamabad last week — a development that triggered strong criticism from the PTI, which said neither the party nor Imran’s family had been informed.
The NDC, formed by former PTI leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Dr Shahzad Waseem and ex-Sindh governor Imran Ismail, met in Islamabad on Saturday. Participants included Chaudhry, Ismail, former Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar and senior politician Munir Ahmad Khan.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the committee expressed “grave concern” over Imran’s health and the circumstances surrounding his medical treatment. It demanded that arrangements be made for Imran to consult his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, to ensure what it termed “immediate and quality medical care”.
“God forbid, if any harm comes to the PTI founder’s health, the entire leadership of the ruling coalition will be responsible, and the right to take legal action against them is reserved,” the statement warned.
The NDC pointed out that during former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s incarceration, a medical board was constituted and his personal physician was allowed access, arguing that Imran deserved the same treatment.
“The right to health of any prisoner is an inalienable right under the law,” the statement said, adding that deliberately denying medical care amounted to a criminal act. It urged the government to stop politicising the health of political opponents.
The committee criticised what it described as the “regrettable, undemocratic” attitude of the federal and Punjab governments towards Imran’s treatment, accusing the ruling PML-N and PPP of contradicting their own past positions on the issue of prisoners’ health.
It also alleged that facts surrounding Imran’s eye condition were deliberately concealed. “Despite several days passing, lies continued to be told, indicating an attempt to defame state institutions,” the statement claimed.
The NDC further condemned remarks by opposition leader in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who had said Imran’s health was not as serious as portrayed. Labeling him the government’s “B-team”, the committee said his stance mirrored that of the ruling coalition and called for a joint sit-in by the opposition and PTI outside the Prime Minister’s House.
Earlier on Saturday, the executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Prof Dr Rana Imran Sikander, said in a video statement that Imran’s eye procedure was completed “smoothly” in around 20 minutes and that he remained vitally stable before being discharged with routine post-procedure care instructions.
