The leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek Tahaffuz Ain Pakistan (TTAP) announced on Thursday that they would not compromise on the health of PTI founder Imran Khan and urged the public to join a nationwide shutter-down strike scheduled for February 8. The opposition leaders stressed that the situation surrounding Imran Khan’s health had become a serious concern and demanded immediate attention from the authorities.

The announcement was made during a meeting of the joint parliamentary committee held at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad. During the meeting, opposition leaders discussed the prevailing political and security situation in the country, with particular concern expressed over the law-and-order conditions in Balochistan. Participants also showed solidarity with the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation and emphasized the need for stability and justice across Pakistan.

According to a media report, the meeting was attended by several prominent political figures including Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, TTAP chief Mahmood Achakzai, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and senior PTI leaders Asad Qaiser and Taimoor Saleem Jhagra. The presence of major leadership from both PTI and TTAP reflected the seriousness of the discussion and the importance of the protest call.

While addressing the participants, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said the meeting had been convened mainly due to concerns over Imran Khan’s health. He warned that the authorities should not push PTI “against the wall,” adding that otherwise all options would remain open. He also expressed determination to make the shutter-down strike successful, stating that the party and its supporters were committed to ensuring strong participation in the protest on February 8.

Asad Qaiser further stated that PTI would meet the Chief Justice of Pakistan on Friday. He said the committee had expressed deep concern about the PTI founder’s health and demanded that his visitation rights be restored. The leaders maintained that restrictions on visitation were unacceptable and called for the immediate facilitation of meetings between Imran Khan and his legal and political representatives.

Apart from Imran Khan’s health and political developments, participants also demanded that steps be taken to ensure the welfare of people living in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley. The leaders highlighted the hardships faced by the people of the region and stressed that their needs should be addressed through effective government measures and relief efforts.

The meeting of the joint parliamentary committee signalled growing political pressure from PTI and TTAP as they continued to raise concerns over Imran Khan’s imprisonment and health condition. With a shutter-down strike and nationwide rallies announced for February 8, the opposition appears determined to mobilize public support and intensify its campaign against what it sees as political victimization and denial of basic rights.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)