Pakistan's ex-Premier Imran Khan faces health crisis in jail as party escalates struggle for his release
By The South Asia Times
ISLAMABAD - Concerns are mounting over the health of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan as his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), intensifies efforts for his release, culminating in a planned "long march" to the capital on September 27.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who is set to lead the march, confirmed that the party leadership and its ally, the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), are fully on board with the plan.
He framed the march as a final resort after exhausting all constitutional and legal options.
"The PTI founder is in solitary confinement and has been denied his rights. No one is allowed to meet him -- not me, his family, lawyers or personal physicians," Afridi stated.
The party's Secretary General, Barrister Salman Akram Raja, further announced that the protests will not be confined to Islamabad but will spread across every city and district in Pakistan.
"The September 27 protest will be Pakistan's voice," he asserted, emphasizing it as a peaceful exercise of constitutional rights.
These efforts come amid growing alarm over Imran Khan's health. His sisters and party leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about his deteriorating eyesight, with reports indicating that only about 15 percent of his vision remains.
In a recent media talk, Barrister Raja demanded that Khan be "immediately shifted to a hospital" for a comprehensive medical examination and treatment. The PTI has filed multiple petitions in the Islamabad High Court, challenging the conditions of his confinement and demanding access for his family and personal physicians.
The PTI has described the jail administration's report denying solitary confinement as "contrary to facts" . Despite court orders, access to Khan has been repeatedly denied, sparking outrage among his supporters.
The escalating protests and the planned march underscore the high political stakes as the party continues to rally its supporters nationwide
