Family rifts are tearing through Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as Aleema Khanum, sister of imprisoned founder Imran Khan, launched a scathing attack on party leaders for mishandling his medical needs. On Wednesday, outside the Islamabad High Court, Aleema, with sisters Uzma and Noreen by her side, voiced outrage over decisions made behind closed doors.
The trigger: a follow-up treatment the day prior, managed with undue secrecy that sidelined the family entirely. Aleema emphasized that Imran’s consent is non-negotiable for any health interventions, positioning family concerns above party politics. Media reports from Dawn noted her plea: Imran’s condition tops their worries list.
She referenced Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s February 17 claim of adequate care, contradicted by PTI’s inability to detail the procedures. Aleema challenged, ‘No one confirms or denies the treatment type—why?’ Allegations flew that recommended doctors were ignored, and the family’s chosen hospital snubbed.
Opposition parties have piled on, urging faster case resolutions for the jailed ex-PM. Aleema’s sharpest barbs targeted PTI insiders: ‘Where are Gohar Ali Khan, Latif Khosa, and Ali Zafar? Why aren’t they defending the cases?’ These stalwarts’ absence has fueled perceptions of disarray.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s CM Sohail Afriidi joined the court vigil, pushing for a meeting with Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar. As this internal dissent unfolds, Imran Khan’s health crisis exposes vulnerabilities in PTI’s structure, hinting at challenges ahead in navigating Pakistan’s charged political arena.