Red Zone sealed as opposition sit-in disrupts access to parliament house

Islamabad (Web Desk): Islamabad’s tightly guarded Red Zone was sealed on Friday while roads leading to Parliament House remained blocked due to a sit-in announced by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The party said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to what it called official indifference toward the medical condition of its incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, particularly the worsening condition of his eyesight.

Large numbers of police officers were deployed, and containers and barricades were placed at Radio Pakistan Chowk to prevent movement towards Shahrah-e-Dastoor and Parliament House. Even elected lawmakers were stopped from advancing toward the legislature, heightening the tense atmosphere in the capital.

The protest was staged after PTI’s lawyer Salman Safdar submitted a report to the Supreme Court (SC) following his visit to Adiala Jail, where he met the former premier.

The top court had appointed Safdar as amicus curiae and instructed him to inspect the prison and present his findings on February 11. The directive came after the PTI founder informed the court that vision in his right eye had deteriorated to just 15 percent.

Speaking to journalists outside Parliament House, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said reaching the building had been extremely difficult due to security restrictions.

He confirmed that the sit-in had commenced and criticised the authorities for preventing parliamentarians from accessing the area.

Barrister Gohar cautioned that if the party was denied space to hold its protest at the agreed site, demonstrations could erupt across the country.

The PTI chairman added that while the party wanted to keep matters within control, the government might not be able to contain the fallout if tensions escalated.

He also revealed that the PTI founder had authorised Opposition Leader in National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas to lead the protest on his behalf.

Addressing supporters, Achakzai assured that the demonstration would remain peaceful. He urged authorities to allow personal doctor and family members to meet him and questioned earlier claims suggesting the former premier’s health had improved, He said the party only wanted him to receive proper medical attention from qualified doctors within the country.

Meanwhile, police sealed the gates of the Parliament Lodges as PTI lawmakers attempted to step out and join the sit-in.

Speaking during the protest, Achakzai demanded that the PTI founder be immediately shifted to a hospital of his choosing for a comprehensive medical examination.

He warned that if adequate healthcare arrangements were not made, the protest could intensify.

Referring to the report submitted before the SC, he said that PTI founder’s eyesight had significantly declined and proposed that a hospital be declared a sub-jail so treatment could proceed without compromising custody.

Achakzai said that the PTI founder is not only a former prime minister but also a human being who deserves medical care while it would take only a short time for doctors to examine him before transferring him to Shifa International Hospital.