Late-night hospitalisation of IK: PTI lawmakers slam Achakzai, others over lack of guidance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers on Thursday slammed senior party leadership, particularly newly appointed National Assembly opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, for failing to provide clear guidance to party workers and leaders following jailed founding chairman Imran Khan’s late-night hospitalisation for an eye infection and the continued restrictions on family visits and access to his legal team.

According to sources privy to a meeting of the party’s parliamentary committee, chaired by acting PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, visibly upset PTI lawmakers lambasted senior party leadership for failing to end jailed Imran Khan’s brutal “solitary confinement,” warning them to play their due role or the party workers would take matters into their own hands.

However, the senior party leadership called for restraint and urged the enraged lawmakers to focus on the party’s upcoming planned countrywide protest on February 8.

Gohar briefed the lawmakers on party plans, emphasising that the February 8 strike, originally discussed in meetings on December 20 and 21, must succeed to send a clear message to the powers that be that the people of the country stand firmly behind Imran Khan.

He also highlighted Khan’s health issues, saying family members had not been allowed to meet him since December 29, and that the leadership was working to ensure he receives medical checkups from doctors of his choice.

He added that Khan was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on January 24 and 25 after two weeks of eye complications, with doctors warning of potential permanent damage. Gohar described the founder’s condition as “slightly better” but not fully recovered.

Salman Akram Raja told the meeting that Khan’s health should not be taken lightly. He outlined plans for the February 8 strike, followed by post-Maghrib rallies, urging members to follow the approved strategy and work together for political change.

During the session, Punjab Assembly opposition leader Mian Qureshi criticised party members for failing to coordinate at the provincial level.

He condemned social media attacks on members unable to attend due to illness, calling them “planned attempts to tarnish the party’s image,” and warned that internal criticism was undermining the party’s unity.

Sources said Sheikh Waqas Akram interrupted Qureshi, asking whether members could also speak, after which Qureshi stressed that all options from Punjab had been presented to the political committee.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026