Raja Nasir seeks joint parliamentary committee to facilitate meeting with Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas on Monday demanded the formation of a joint parliamentary committee to address the issue of meeting jailed Imran Khan at Adiala Jail.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, the PTI-backed leader urged the government to improve its relationship with the incarcerated former premier. “I promise that we [the opposition] would not let your government fall,” he said, calling for steps to ease tensions.

Referring to the recent days-long sit-in staged by lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and allied opposition parties at Parliament House and KP House in Islamabad, he alleged that the gates of Parliament House had been locked and parliamentarians were confined inside.

“Is this not an insult to parliament?” he asked, advocating for a tradition of what he described as “positive protest."

The protest had been organised over concerns regarding Imran Khan’s eye ailment after the former prime minister claimed he had lost 85 per cent vision in his right eye. Although the government constituted a medical board to examine and treat him in jail, PTI and its allies demanded that he be shifted to a hospital and allowed to meet his family.

The government did not accept those demands, and PTI eventually called off the sit-in while announcing the formation of an “Imran Khan Release Force."

In his address on Monday, Allama Nasir reiterated calls for proper medical treatment for the PTI founder, alleging that false cases had been registered against him and that his sisters were being denied meetings with him. He proposed forming a joint parliamentary committee to arrange access to the jailed leader.

Separately, PTI leaders staged a sit-in outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan, demanding early hearings of cases involving Imran Khan. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja told reporters he had sought a meeting with the Supreme Court registrar but was unable to secure one.

The protest outside the apex court later concluded, after which Allama Nasir returned to Parliament House.

Responding in the Senate, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said doctors had deemed Imran’s treatment appropriate following a medical examination and urged that the matter of his health not be politicised.

The senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) reiterated the government’s offer for dialogue, stating that his party had previously attempted engagement even when the opposition was in power. “Democracy progresses through negotiations, not deadlock,” he said, urging the opposition to participate in parliamentary committees and strengthen the charter of democracy.