Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday said the government did not want to “politicise” the matter of PTI founder Imran Khan’s health, while blaming the opposition for doing the same.
The opposition, PTI and Imran’s family have voiced concerns over the former prime minister’s health after his eye ailment came to light late in January.
Addressing the media in Lahore, Naqvi referred to the recent medical report prepared by a team of doctors who examined the jailed ex-premier on Sunday.
“The medical report also came forward yesterday and everything is clear as per it. Neither we nor the government want to politicise this,” he said, adding that there were certain “requests” which the authorities allowed but were not suitable to publicize at the moment.
“Putting up such a show is extremely inappropriate, especially misleading people,” the minister said.
“Still, we picked our best government and private doctors because it had been three days and the checkup had not taken place,” he insisted.
Naqvi said he then invited PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan to reach Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Sunday to witness Imran’s checkup but the former refused, citing party consultations.
Detailing the communication between the authorities and the opposition, Naqvi said Gohar was given the time of 2:30 pm. “We kept on waiting for an hour but Gohar sahib replied in the negative, that he has consulted with his party and would not be able to come.”
“Our intention was that the checkup be performed in front of everyone,” he asserted, adding that the doctors were at the Adiala jail for about 1.25-1.5 hours for the examination.
Naqvi stated that Gohar, along with the Senate and National Assembly opposition leaders — Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Mehmood Khan Achakzai — and their preferred doctors, was then invited to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.
There, the doctors who examined Imran briefed the opposition leaders as well as spoke on the phone to the “two doctors” named by the PTI, with each conversation lasting for about 45 minutes. “They asked each and everything,” Naqvi said about the PTI-recommended doctors.
“Excellent. This is the best treatment. Even if we had to provide treatment, we would have done the same,” he quoted the doctors as saying.
According to Naqvi, the opposition representatives also expressed satisfaction over the treatment and said they would inform their supporters about it.
Asked about former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s claims That Naqvi made unmatched efforts for Imran’s release, the minister said, “One thing, which is not new, is that I have believed from the first day that dialogue is the solution to everything.
“This is not my personal opinion; the prime minister has also said what I say, and we are following those instructions. […] If you ask about my personal view, I always say talks are the [answer],” he said.
Responding to another question, he said there were “sensible people” in every party and if they had been listened to, the “PTI would not have been in the current situation, nor would have done the May 9 things”.
On whether any action was being taken against the former Adiala jail superintendent whom the PTI holds responsible for aggravating Imran’s health issue, Naqvi stated: “We will check with the Punjab government what they are doing on it. But they are on it.”
‘Politicians onboard but Aleema vetoed everything’
However, the minister claimed, Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum told the PTI that the “issue would die down” if the opposition accepted the government’s arrangements.
“The medical checkup could not take place for three days just because of her. On one hand, they claim to have great empathy, relationship and everything. On the other hand, politics has been done to the utmost over this.”
The interior minister then questioned why roads were being blocked despite all the steps taken for Imran’s treatment.
“If your intention was good, then you would have agreed on the first day. Almost all political leaders used to be on board but Aleema Khan sahiba vetoed them. She used to reject everything,” Naqvi said.
“The problem is they want to cash this matter,” he contended.
During his media talk, Naqvi recalled how the issue of Imran’s eye ailment came to light after the government confirmed that the PTI founder was taken to Pims for a minor procedure.
He noted that the treatment was merely an injection that needed to be administered.
The minister pointed out that “as a precaution, so there are no germs”, Imran was taken to the hospital, even though doctors suggested it could be done in jail.
“I will tell you very clearly that when any prisoner needs treatment, it is our duty,” he affirmed, questioning whether all thousands of prisoners were accorded the same facilities as Imran was being provided.
The interior minister said he believed that journalists should be provided with a tour of prisons so they could witness the facilities available there.
Naqvi quipped that if the aim was political vendetta, then the first step would be to adopt a strict demeanor and restrict their facilities to what is provided to an ordinary prisoner as per the jail manual.
On the topic of the ongoing road blockades due to PTI protests, the minister said: “Our duty is to tell people to be aware of whatever cells in your party that are doing this; they are enemies of your people that have different objectives and want to do their own politics.”
“[…] It is now clear to me about at least some individuals that they are more worried about their politics than his (Imran’s) health.”
The interior minister affirmed that the government would ensure the implementation of the recent Peshawar High Court (PHC) order that has directed the KP government and its police to reopen the roads.
Demand for 1-week hospital admission
Recalling previous contacts between the government and the opposition with the mediation of NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Naqvi asserted: “We made one thing very clear that in the matter of treatment, we will provide whatever facility is available to any incarcerated person as per the Constitution and the law.”
He stated that the government had sought the name of a “non-political” eye specialist for examining Imran, but the other side refused and insisted on a family member accompanying the doctor, which was also agreed to.
“I am saying all this as it is on record and you can ask the PTI leaders about this,” the minister affirmed. He further said that the name of Kasim, who he said was a cousin, was also given by the party to come along, which was allowed.
“When both things had taken place, they said ‘no, not like this, you must admit him to a hospital for a week and we will not accept anything else’,” Naqvi claimed.
The minister said the authorities would “100 percent” have Imran hospitalized for “even two weeks” given that the doctors recommended it.
“But if the doctors do not recommend, then how can we have him admitted?” he asked. “It is not possible that just on your recommendation we admit him to hospital for one week.”
