Islamabad: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has accused the federal government of violating basic rights by denying adequate medical treatment to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. Party leaders also claimed that officials are actively obstructing family members and party representatives from visiting the imprisoned couple.
Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information and Public Relations Minister Shafi Jan stated that Khan and Bushra Bibi are being deprived of proper healthcare despite mounting concerns. Jan highlighted that the PTI founder has been battling an eye ailment for four months, which has left his vision partially impaired. The minister alleged that jail regulations were breached when the couple was secretly moved to a hospital at night for a three-hour medical procedure. Despite the length of the visit, authorities have failed to share any verified medical reports with the family or the public.
The provincial minister demanded that the federal government immediately allow Khan and Bushra Bibi to see their personal physicians and transfer them to Shifa International Hospital for comprehensive care. Jan also criticized the political double standards in the country's prison system, pointing out that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was granted extensive medical facilities and regular visitors during his incarceration, while Khan is being denied similar privileges. He added that the ongoing restrictions on meetings violate existing judicial directives and amount to contempt of court.
The allegations follow a legal petition filed in the Islamabad High Court by Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, challenging what she described as the unlawful solitary confinement of her brother. Khan has remained imprisoned since August 2023 following a series of convictions that the PTI maintains are politically motivated. Since being ousted from office through a no-confidence vote in 2022, the former prime minister has faced numerous legal battles, including cases involving state gifts and an unlawful marriage. In January 2025, Khan and Bushra Bibi were convicted in the £190 million Al-Qadir University Project Trust case, resulting in a 14-year sentence for Khan and a seven-year sentence for his wife.
Beyond prison conditions, Minister Jan turned his attention to the broader economy, slamming the federal government for failing to control inflation and unemployment, which he stated have reached critical levels following recent hikes in fuel prices.
(Inputs from IANS)