Lawmakers of opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) commenced an ongoing sit-in at Parliament House on Friday afternoon, vowing to continue it until the fulfillment of their demands for medical examination and treatment of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
A day earlier, lawyer Salman Safdar submitted before the Supreme Court a report of his meeting with Khan, who told him his right eye had just 15% vision remaining. The court then ordered the composition of a medical team to examine Khan and directed authorities to ensure he spoke with his sons, U.K.-based Kasim and Sulaiman, but has yet to issue written confirmation of the same. Meanwhile, the TTAP announced it would stage a sit-in outside Parliament House to seek access for Khan to his family and personal physicians.
After initially staging a sit-in outside Parliament House, lawmakers shifted inside its main hallway overnight, with TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai saying they would remain in place until their demands were met. “In the morning, we will sit again after changing clothes and shaving. And if the [sit-in] is prolonged, the entire Ramazan will be spent staging sit-ins,” he said in a video statement shared on X.
Prior to the start of the sit-in, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser lamented the government had attempted to bar their way, adding they had overcome “all obstacles” to reach Parliament House. “No compromise will be made on Imran Khan’s health,” he said. “If our demands are not met, we will announce our next course of action,” he added.
According to media, the government had cordoned off all roads leading to Parliament ahead of the planned protest. The opposition lawmakers have alleged that they were “locked inside” the parliamentary lodges and barred from leaving.
At the same time, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and provincial lawmakers gathered at Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House. After police prevented them from entering Parliament House to join MNAs and senators in protest, they staged a sit-in outside KP House that remained in place overnight. Video footage shared on social media appeared to show clashes between police and the KP lawmakers.
Throughout Friday, as well as early on Saturday morning, Imran Khan’s sister Aleema has been calling on Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi to issue written orders requiring the government to ensure the PTI founder’s medical examination. The PTI has also reiterated this demand on its official X account.
“CJP, we require formal written directions to ensure that Imran Khan is examined by specialists and treated under the supervision of his own doctors at Shifa International Hospital,” read a post from the party, emphasizing that Khan needed “urgent eye treatment.”
The deadline for the examination, per the verbal orders issued by the court, is Feb. 16 (Monday).
Apart from lawmakers, PTI workers and supporters in KP have blocked roads in the province, hampering the normal flow of inter- and intra-provincial traffic. There was a brief protest at GPO Chowk in Lahore on Friday afternoon, but it dispersed without incident. Several PTI supporters have called for more such protests nationwide but there has been no formal announcement of the same by the party.
Government response
Also on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told a press conference that while the opposition had a right to protest, it should avoid the “Red Zone,” as this caused problems for high-security buildings in the area. Maintaining the government has “repeatedly” assured the opposition that “no negligence will be tolerated regarding Imran’s health,” he said it should not be treated as a political issue.
Emphasizing that Khan would be transferred to whichever medical facility he prefers for treatment, he vowed the government would not allow any negligence in the matter. He also rebutted Safdar’s report, which had alleged the issue started in October 2025 before worsening to a point requiring treatment in January 2026. “The issue did not surface when Imran’s sister met him on Dec. 2 or on Dec. 9 when he was examined by a medical board or on Dec. 20 when the Toshakhana verdict was announced,” he said.
“On Jan. 16, it was recommended by a doctor that Imran be shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for an eye checkup. It is also on record that he was not shifted at the request of PTI, but the jail authorities and the government,” he said, adding this process was undertaken on Jan. 24.