ISLAMABAD: The National Dialogue Committee (NDC) has expressed serious concern over risks to the health of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, as well as the government’s admission regarding his eye operation.
The NDC meeting was held in Islamabad with Fawad Hussain, Imran Ismael, Mahmood Maulvi, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, former minister Mohammad Ali Durrani and former mayor Karachi Waseem Akhter and veteran politician Munir Ahmad Khan as participants.
The NDC has demanded the immediate formation of an independent medical board and that a meeting be arranged between Imran Khan and his personal physician, Dr. Faisal Sultan.
The NDC meeting also demanded that meetings should also be facilitated with his family members and sons so that the family and the public can be relieved of mental anguish.
In their joint statement, the NDC leaders strongly condemned the government’s attitude, stating that the federal and Punjab governments’ approach towards Imran Khan’s treatment is regrettable, undemocratic, and contrary to their political claims.
The ruling coalition of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan People’s Party has “always preached against politicising health issues, yet their actions against Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, and other political prisoners—based on political opposition—are in clear violation of their own past statements, claims, and advice”.
The NDC leaders demanded that, just as an independent medical board was formed for prisoner Nawaz Sharif and his personal physician was allowed meetings, exactly the same should be done for the PTI founder: form an independent medical board and arrange a meeting with his personal physician, Dr. Faisal Sultan, so that the PTI founder can receive immediate and quality medical treatment. “God forbid, if any harm comes to the PTI founder’s health, the entire leadership of the ruling coalition will be responsible, and the right to take legal action against them is reserved,” the statement stated. The statement stated that right to health for any prisoner is an inalienable right under the law. Depriving any prisoner of their legitimate legal right to treatment, deliberately endangering their health, is equivalent to taking their life and constitutes a criminal act. “The ruling coalition should stop politicising the health of political opponents,” the statement stated.
The NDC leaders also expressed regret that the government “engaged in criminal concealment of facts regarding the serious issue of declining eyesight in the PTI founder’s eyes”.
Despite several days passing, the NDC statement stated that lies continued to be told about the matter, which indicates that the federal and Punjab governments are deliberately attempting to defame state institutions. “This appears to be a well-thought-out conspiracy to provoke the majority of Pakistan’s population that supports PTI against state institutions, which is against national interest,” the statement stated.
The NDC leaders strongly condemned and expressed disappointment over opposition leader Mahmood Achakzai’s statement that “the founder’s health is not as bad as the propaganda suggests,” deeming it clear proof that Mahmood Achakzai is the government’s B-team. “His continuous “silence” after becoming opposition leader is evidence that he is part of the government team, not the opposition,” the NDC leaders said in a statement.
The NDC statement said that opposition leader’s role on the PTI founder’s health is the same as that of the government and its ministers. “The NDC will continue to expose these attitudes of both the government and the opposition,” it stated.
The NDC urged the PTI and opposition leadership to jointly stage a sit-in at the Prime Minister’s House gate.
