• Imran’s allies demand immediate access for family, doctors and lawyers
• Warn of dire consequences amid unease among public
• Minister accuses Afghan, Indian media of circulating ‘false’ reports about PTI leader

ISLAMABAD: Amid a noisy protest in the Senate for a second day by PTI senators, the government on Friday assured the House that former prime minister Imran Khan was in good health with no threat to his life and blamed Afghan and Indian media for circulating “false” reports about Mr Khan’s health.

The ruckus by PTI lawmakers, alarmed by social media reports about Mr Khan’s condition, dominated the day’s proceedings. They chanted slogans and hit their desks, demanding that family members, doctors and lawyers be allowed to meet with Mr Khan after what they called a “complete blackout for weeks”.

Syed Ali Zafar, the PTI parliamentary leader in the Senate, sought an explanation from the government about the reports.

“The tension level of the public has risen so high that there will be an explosion if the matter was not resolved immediately,” Mr Zafar warned. He added that the party’s senators would not participate in proceedings until a minister provided a clear response.

“We will not become part of the proceedings till the minister concerned comes and responds,” he said before PTI senators staged a walkout.

While the government gave no assurance on allowing visits, 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”, Chaudhry said, relaying information from the superintendent of Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the ex-premier is being held.

The minister claimed Afghan media initially spread the “fake stories,” which he said were then amplified by Indian media.

The minister’s statement failed to satisfy the opposition. “We will not let the proceedings continue,” one lawmaker said. “You cannot threaten like this,” Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani responded.

The proceedings were briefly adjourned when the House was found to be one member short of a quorum. After business resumed, PTI members continued their protest, chanting “release Imran Khan”.

Meanwhile, the government laid the money bill — the Income Tax (Third Amendment) Bill, 2025 — before the House, to make recommendations on it to the National Assembly, as required under Article 73 of the Constitution.

The chair referred the bill to the Standing Committee for Finance and Revenue for further consideration

Later in the session, PTI Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, when called upon to move an item on the agenda, spoke instead on Imran’s health and rejected claims that meetings with the former leader were taking place, saying their leader had been kept behind bars unjustly and on frivolous charges.

The session chairman, Shahadat Awan of the PPP, eventually deferred the remaining agenda items after a minister expressed an inability to respond in the noisy environment. He then adjourned the House to meet again on Monday at 4pm.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2025