ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s party on Sunday called on authorities to grant the ex-premier and his wife, both of whom are in jail, access to personal physicians and family, promising to continue protest activities until its demands are met.
The demands were reiterated on Sunday at a public rally in Mardan district of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, which is ruled by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
The demands followed eye surgery of Khan’s wife, Bushra, earlier this week, amid complaints by her family and the PTI about her deteriorating health. Khan himself has undergone multiple eye procedures in recent months.
Addressing supporters at the rally on Sunday, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the “large turnout” reflected sustained public support for Khan, who has been facing a slew of cases that he maintains are politically motivated.
“Protest activities would continue until appropriate medical access is ensured for Imran Khan and his spouse, including access to personal physicians and family members, in accordance with due process,” Afridi was quoted as saying by the office of his press secretary.
Khan and his wife are held at the high-security Adiala prison in Rawalpindi since 2023 and early 2025, respectively.
The government has maintained that the ex-premier and his wife are being provided adequate medical assistance. On Friday, Bushra’s sister and daughters also met her at the prison following her surgery, a jail official told Arab News, adding that the meeting lasted for more than an hour.
Bushra has been in and out of detention since January 2024, with significant periods of imprisonment and house arrest. She is currently serving a 17-year sentence, as of December 2025, in a case involving the sale of state gifts when her husband was premier.
Khan has been imprisoned for over two and a half years following convictions in multiple cases related to corruption and state secrets. His party has long been campaigning for his release. The government says the cases against Khan are a judicial matter.
“Outlining the party’s political roadmap, the chief minister announced planned visits to Azad Jammu and Kashmir on April 25, coinciding with the party’s foundation day, and to Lahore on May 1, as part of an ongoing street movement directed by Imran Khan,” the office of CM Afridi’s press secretary said.
