Mayhem in Senate as resolution over Imran’s health rejected

2026-02-13 - 21:56

Rana Sanaullah says case of criminal negligence if Imran’s medical medical treatment was deliberately withheld Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad The upper house of Parliament on Friday witnessed ruckus and pandemonium after a resolution concerning the health of the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan was rejected. The resolution, moved by PTI Senator Aun Abbas Bappi, faced government opposition and was ultimately dismissed. Following the rejection, PTI senators gathered at the chairman’s dais, raising slogans and staging a protest. The opposition members particularly PTI chanted slogans against the government for what they called the inhumane treatment of a prisoner. During the Senate session, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah claimed that the PTI founding chairman complained for the first time about an eye issue in the first week of January, contrary to the claim of PTI that their founder had been complaining about this for the past four months. He emphasized that medical treatment was provided promptly, without any delay. He further noted that the treatment administered was properly documented. Sanaullah advised PTI not to do politics on the health of its founding chairman. “Jail doctors examine the PTI founding chairman every second day as part of routine medical care,” he asserted. He said separate medical boards had reviewed his health condition twenty-five times. Sanaullah said there was no reference to his eye ailment in the medical board held on December 9, 2025. According to the report submitted to the Supreme Court, the PTI founder’s security in jail is adequate, and medical checks are being conducted regularly both by jail doctors and external physicians, with 25 external check-ups completed so far. Opposition leader Allama Raja Nasser Abbas criticized the handling of the matter, claiming the doctors conducting the check-ups were not specialists and that the founder’s family and lawyers were not properly informed. He emphasized that sudden vision loss could not occur abruptly and called for accountability regarding the treatment and medical monitoring of political prisoners. Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, noted that the PTI founder’s health issue should be viewed on humanitarian grounds. “Let’s go together and meet him. We will go see him and report back to the Senate. Let people meet him, things will normalize,” he remarked. He called for burying dirty politics and said new traditions should be set. He insisted that criminal negligence had been committed while treating Imran. The government assured the Senate that any directives issued by the Supreme Court regarding additional medical examinations would be fully implemented. Rana Sanaullah further said that the counsels met the PTI founding chairman on December 20 on the occasion of the Toshakhana-II Case verdict and at that time, he did not refer to the eye ailment. He pointed out that PTI lawyer Safdar was also present on the occasion. “If the PTI has any suggestions regarding the medical care of its founding chairman, it should approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” the PML-N leader said, assuring that any directions issued by the apex court would be fully implemented. Sanaullah said the report submitted to the SC clearly established that the PTI founding chairman himself was satisfied with the living conditions in the prison. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl parliamentary leader Senator Kamran Murtaza said that the former prime minister’s eyesight was under threat. He endorsed the proposal that representatives from the opposition and government meet him. Murtaza said that while injustices may have been committed in the past, they should not be committed now. He said the options available for Imran included parole, bail, moving him to a hospital or declaring his house as a sub-jail. “Take the path that earns us respect in global democracies,” he said. He said medical treatment was the constitutional right of every citizen, including the former prime minister, under Article 9.