ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtun­khwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednes­day petitioned the Isla­mabad High Cou­rt (IHC) to allow doctors from Shaukat Khanum Me­­morial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH) to examine ‘ailing’ PTI fou­n­d­­er and ex-premier Imran Khan for accurate diagnosis and better treatment.

The petitioner argued that Mr Khan was facing “multiple health complications” and “required assessment from specialist doctors”.

He claimed that the PTI founder had been jailed as a political victim under alleged pressure from the government and, therefore, was entitled to quality medical facilities in the interest of justice.

The Punjab government has been made a respondent in the petition through its prison department.

The IHC has fixed the petition for hearing and sought records from relevant authorities.

Plea moved by KP CM says ex-premier facing multiple health complications

The plea comes a day after Mr Khan’s sister, Uzma Khanum, dispelled rumours regarding her brother’s health following a supervised meeting with him in Adiala jail.

Speaking to the media, she said the former premier was “perfectly fine”, though “extremely angry” and alleging that he and his wife Bushra Bibi were being subjected to “mental torture” by confining them to a small room and denied communication for weeks.

She said her brother complained that he had not been allowed to meet anyone for four weeks and was confined to his cell most of the day with minimal time outdoors. The meeting lasted around 30 minutes and was held under strict monitoring without mobile devices.

Weekly protests

Separately, Aleema Khanum announ­ced that she and Uzma would stage a sit-in outside Adiala jail on Tuesdays until six family members and six lawyers were allowed visitation, while PTI workers would hold their own sit-in on Thursdays.

PTI supporters had staged demonstrations outside the jail and the IHC a day earlier to protest restrictions on the former prime minister’s visitation rights, claiming that no one had been allowed to meet him or Bushra Bibi since Oct 27. Islam­abad and Rawalpindi administrations had imposed Section 144 ahead of the protests.

Four protesters remanded to jail

Meanwhile, Judicial Magistrate Shahzad Khan on Wednesday sent four PTI workers to Adiala jail on judicial remand after they were arrested for violating the ban imposed on gatherings in twin cities by staging protests.

According to the police, the accused were detained from Sector G-14 and were found in possession of PTI flags, badges and photographs of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

An FIR was registered at Sumbal police station, and the police told the magistrate that further investigation was underway.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2025