A minister on Friday assured the Senate that former Prime Minister Imran Khan remains in good health and has no threats to his life, blaming Afghan and Indian media for circulating “fake news” about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder.
The Senate session was marred by protests from PTI lawmakers, who chanted slogans and banged their desks while demanding immediate access to Khan for his family, doctors and lawyers. PTI Senator Ali Zafar, a lawyer, said the government should explain Khan’s situation in light of the reports of “international” media.
“The tension level of the public has risen so high that there will be an explosion if the matter was not resolved immediately,” he claimed, adding the PTI’s senators would not participate in proceedings until a minister offered clarity. The PTI then staged a walkout from the Upper House.
Taking the floor, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry rejected the social media reports as baseless. Imran Khan “is in good health, facing no threat to his life, and is being provided with all facilities,” he said, claiming this information was provided by the superintendent of Adiala Jail. He blamed Afghan media for initially spreading the fake news before the Indian media amplified it.
The PTI’s lawmakers, however, deemed this response insufficient and threatened to prevent the proceedings from continuing.
Nationwide protests
Separately, members of the opposition alliance told media outside Parliament House they would stage nationwide protests if Imran Khan is not allowed to meet his sisters and party leaders.
“We have stopped Sindhis, Baloch, Pashtuns, and Punjabis from taking to the streets against the government and its policies; otherwise, they would come out and create problems for the rulers,” claimed Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) President Mehmood Achakzai.
“The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is sitting outside Adiala Jail, but no one is paying any heed to his request to meet the PTI founder,” he added.