Jailed PTI leaders call for protest pause during Ramazan

LAHORE: Five senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), currently incarcerated at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, on Friday urged the party to postpone all protest activities during Ramadan and refocus its efforts on parliamentary politics.

In a joint letter issued to the media from prison, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Umar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mahmood Rashid said that, in view of the sanctity of the holy month, all forms of protest movements should be deferred.

Concerns Over Imran Khan’s Health

The appeal comes amid heightened tensions over the health of PTI founder Imran Khan, which has become a fresh flashpoint between the government and the opposition alliance, including the Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aiyeen Pakistan (TTAP).

According to a report submitted by his lawyer and Supreme Court amicus curiae Barrister Salman Safdar, Khan has been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), a serious eye condition. The report stated that Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023, complained of losing around 85% of vision in his right eye.

Following the disclosure, the opposition alliance staged a sit-in at Parliament House, while PTI workers blocked major roads and highways in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in protest.

In their letter, the jailed leaders demanded that the government stop politicising Khan’s health and ensure that his treatment is carried out in consultation with his sisters and personal doctors.

Criticism of President’s Remarks

The incarcerated leaders also criticised recent remarks by President Asif Ali Zardari against Imran Khan, calling them inappropriate for the office of head of state. They said Khan was enduring imprisonment with dignity despite difficult circumstances.

They urged the PTI leadership to intensify legal efforts in courts to secure proper medical treatment for the former prime minister and to ensure regular meetings between him, party office-bearers, lawyers and family members.

Push for Parliamentary Engagement and Organisational Revival

The jailed leaders appealed to TTAP to play a proactive role in parliament and use parliamentary tools to highlight what they termed the government’s poor performance.

They proposed that PTI’s core and political committees nominated by Khan hold detailed deliberations on the evolving political situation and make decisions through consensus. If consensus proves elusive, decisions should be made by clear majority, documented in writing and made binding on all office-bearers.

To maintain message discipline, they suggested that party policy be communicated to the media solely through the chairman, secretary general and information secretary to ensure a unified narrative.

Calling for a comprehensive organisational revival, the letter urged party leaders at all levels to reactivate and reorganise the party structure down to the grassroots in preparation for local government elections.

The leaders also emphasised the need to revitalise all party wings, arguing that a disciplined and dynamic organisation was essential for an effective political struggle.

Finally, they called on the party to consistently raise issues such as worsening security, rising terrorism, economic fragility, inflation, poverty, unemployment, the growing number of out-of-school children, unchecked population growth and what they described as persistent corruption at various levels of governance.