Senior leaders and workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Salman Akram Raja and Latif Khosa, staged a protest outside the Supreme Court on Friday, chanting slogans for the release of party founder Imran Khan. The protest coincided with heightened security arrangements, as additional security personnel were deployed both inside and outside the Supreme Court building, while Federal Constabulary personnel were also stationed on the premises.

A prison van was parked outside the court as part of the security measures. PTI leadership had earlier announced that they would arrive at the Supreme Court today to pursue legal avenues for meeting the jailed party founder.Prior to the protest demonstration, Salman Akram Raja and Latif Khosa held a 10-minute meeting with the Registrar of the Supreme Court, during which they requested the court’s cooperation in facilitating a meeting with Imran Khan.

Later, speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s founding chairman Imran Khan was being denied meetings, adding that the party now had other options to consider. Afridi said that repeated efforts to meet Imran Khan had failed, despite legal requests and assurances, forcing the party leadership to explore alternative courses of action.

He expressed serious concern over what he described as a lack of transparency surrounding the PTI founder’s recent medical treatment, stating that Imran Khan was taken to hospital for eye surgery without informing the party leadership. Sohail Afridi said neither the timing nor the details of the procedure were shared with PTI, adding that even the fact of the surgery had been concealed from them. He said such actions raised questions about the treatment of the jailed former prime minister, stressing that the party had legitimate concerns regarding access to its founder and his health.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)