By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said it will hold a protest in Islamabad restricted area on Oct. 15 unless imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan is granted access to his lawyers and doctors, potentially disrupting a key regional summit.
“The political committee comprising key members of PTI has announced a protest call at D Chowk Islamabad for Oct. 15, 2024, if access to Former Chairman Imran Khan is not given to his legal team & physician,” the party said in a statement.
PTI respects the law of the land, but “it is imperative that some access may be granted [to Khan], as some reports suggested his health was not well,” which is causing unrest within the party.
The party noted that authorities were citing security reasons to prevent access to Khan, though Justice Sardar Ijaz of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ordered video link access if physical interaction with Khan was not possible, referring to an earlier court judgment in March.
The protest coincides with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, attended by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Iranian First Vice President Reza Aref, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and leaders from other member states.
The government has deployed over 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel to safeguard the approximately 900 delegates attending the 23rd SCO summit on Oct. 15-16.
The Punjab provincial administration recently imposed restrictions on meetings with inmates at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Khan is imprisoned on multiple charges. The provincial government issued instructions to enhance jail security after the police counterterrorism department circulated a threat alert in the lead-up to the SCO Summit.
PTI filed a petition challenging the restrictions, calling it a tactic to suppress Khan’s voice and expressing concern for his safety in prison amid ongoing tensions with the government and establishment.
The IHC only directed authorities to provide adequate medical facilities in prison and arrange meetings after the ban on visits expires following the SCO Summit.
Khan, jailed since August last year, was ousted from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of no confidence after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which denies being involved in politics.
PTI’s previous protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, near some of the most sensitive government installations, brought life in the capital to a standstill as authorities sealed the city with shipping containers, alleging that Khan’s party was trying to “sabotage” the SCO Summit.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar warned that “those who conspire against Pakistan should stay home as no miscreant will be allowed to disrupt the SCO conference in Islamabad”.
“The announcements do not make any difference as Islamabad has been made fully safe and secure,” Tarar told a news briefing.
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