February 14, 2026
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
A sit-in by the members of parliament under the party banners of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek Tahafuz Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), both whom are in opposition, continued for a second day on Saturday, 14 February, at three different locations in the capital city: the Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House.
The core demand of the protest has been that PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan be immediately transferred to a hospital of his choice for the treatment of a serious eye condition that they allege was neglected by the authorities.
The sit-in was announced following a medical report submitted to the Supreme Court on Thursday, which revealed that Khan has lost 85 percent vision in his right eye—a disclosure that triggered strong reactions from the party.
Stringent security measures and food blockade
Because of the sit-in, the Red Zone in Islamabad has been placed under extremely tight security arrangements. Heavy contingents of police have been deployed at all gates of the Parliament House. All routes leading to the Parliament have been blocked, and barbed wire has been installed around the protest sites.
Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar arrived at the Parliament gate with breakfast for the protesting parliamentarians inside, but after heated arguments with police, he was not permitted to take the food inside. Khokhar attempted to deliver breakfast through the back side of Parliament, but police personnel forcefully stopped him.
He spokesperson for Tehreek Tahafuz Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai, expressed strong anger at the conduct of the police.
“We have been confined inside Parliament since yesterday. They are not allowing any water or breakfast to be brought inside,” he said. “Senator Falk Naz Chitrali has also been unwell since last night, and they are not allowing her medication through.”
Media personnel are also facing difficulties in reporting as they are not permitted beyond the barbed wire barriers or to conduct interviews.
Sit-in to continue till Khan is transferred to hospital: Achakzai
The protest is being led by TTAP Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai and other prominent leaders, including PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Allama Nasir Abbas, Senator Ali Zafar, Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar, and others.
“Our biggest demand and point of concern is the health of PTI founder Imran Khan. According to the report submitted to the Supreme Court, Imran Khan has lost more than 80 percent of his vision,” said leader of opposition Mahmood Khan Achakzai, in a clip shared on social media while speaking alongside the protesting parliamentarians in the sit-in at Parliament House on Saturday.
“If progress is made regarding Imran Khan’s health, this sit-in will disperse. If that does not happen, more demands will be added over time,” he added. “Imran Khan’s health is the state’s responsibility. International organizations and diplomats are watching the oppression happening in Pakistan. Our voice is reaching everywhere. We have been confined in Parliament House for 24 hours now.”
Participating in the Parliament House sit-in, Allama Nasir Abbas said, “Turning the Parliament into a jail and confining elected representatives is a direct attack on the rule of law,” he said. “This action is tarnishing Pakistan’s image globally. The news about Imran Khan’s deteriorating health and vision is extremely concerning. Taking away someone’s eyesight is a humanitarian atrocity. We demand that Khan sahib be immediately given access to doctors and a hospital of his choice.”
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan posted on X: “Second day of the sit-in at Parliament House, both gates closed—but Insha’Allah the sit-in will continue until the mission is accomplished. Our demand is very brief—transfer to hospital for Khan sahib’s eye treatment. This is Khan sahib’s right and the state’s responsibility.”
“Until Imran Khan is provided medical facilities from ophthalmology specialists in the presence of his family and personal physicians, our sit-in will continue. Imran Khan’s all legal and human rights should be restored immediately, ” former National Assembly speaker and PTI MNA Asad Qaiser said while participating in the protest at Parliament House.
Salman Akram Raja wrote on X: “Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House have been turned into jails. The state is afraid of us walking on our own streets. Our first objective is to get Imran Khan sahib transferred to hospital and treated by trustworthy doctors.”
CM participates in KP House sit-in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi participated in the ongoing sit-in outside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House along with other leaders.
Speaking at the KP House sit-in, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi stated: “We have not yet received any credible information that Imran Khan sahib has been shifted anywhere for treatment. When there were Supreme Court orders for treatment, Khan sahib should have been immediately shifted to hospital.”
Former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur also participated in the KP House sit alongside party MPAs from KP and Punjab. “Don’t take enmity to such an extent that there’s no way back. Today it’s our turn, tomorrow it will be yours—this vicious circle continues and should be stopped. The establishment and government are responsible for the current situation, as they are not resolving the issue by releasing Imran Khan,” Gandapur said.
Imran Khan speaks to sons on phone call: Aleema Khan
In a post on X, Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan confirmed that the former premier was allowed to speak with his two sons in a telephone call lasting twenty 20 minutes.
“The Chief Justice of Pakistan had directed that Imran Khan be allowed to speak with his sons. We can confirm that he was able to speak with them for approximately 20 minutes. His sons shared that he was extremely happy to hear their voices after such a long time.
We are now awaiting his urgent medical treatment at Shifa International Hospital Islamabad under the supervision of his personal doctors, where specialist doctors must make every possible effort to restore his eyesight. The intentional delay in providing him timely treatment has already caused damage to his eyesight. We cannot and will not tolerate any further delay, and immediate specialist care is essential to prevent any permanent loss of vision,” Aleema Khan wrote in her post.
Earlier, speaking to media outside the anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Aleema Khan said: “Last night they offered us that we will transfer Imran Khan to hospital but family and personal physicians will not be allowed. Who are they to tell us this? How dare they say that family and doctors won’t be present. We don’t want their kind of treatment, we don’t trust their treatment. These people want to manage the doctors and reports.”
Confined at Parliament Lodges
The sit-in by MNAs and MPAs confined in Parliament Lodges also continued for a second day. Senator Falk Naz’s daughter reported that police are neither allowing her mother and other members of parliament to go out, nor is food and water being allowed inside. She said: “My mother’s medications, which were essential for her health, were prevented from reaching her. This is oppression.”
Imran moves IHC for bail on medical grounds in Toshakhana-2 case
Meanwhile, Barrister Salman Safdar filed petitions in the Islamabad High Court seeking bail for Imran Khan through suspension of sentence in the Toshakhana-II case, and for bail on medical grounds for both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the 190 million pound case.
The petition states that PTI founder Imran Khan is suffering from a serious eye condition. Dr. Muhammad Arif of PIMS diagnosed that the petitioner’s right eye has been severely affected by blood clots, with only 15 percent vision remaining.
Speaking to media, Barrister Salman Safdar said: “Imran Khan had informed me that PIMS doctors told him after tests and examination that he has lost 85 percent of his vision.”
Govt’s position
In a post on X, Federal Information Minister Ata Tarar said that the jailed PTI founder would undergo treatment for eye ailment at a specialized hospital under supervision of best available doctors.
“Pursuant to ongoing eye treatment of Imran Khan; further check up and treatment will be done in a specialized medical facility by best eye specialists. A detailed report thereof will also be submitted in the Supreme Court. Conjecture, speculations and efforts to turn this into political rhetoric and mileage for vested interests may please be avoided,” Tarar wrote in the post.
Speaking to media in Nowshera, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Information Akhtar Ali said: “Citizens are facing difficulties due to road closures by PTI. The federal government will take all possible measures to relieve the public from these difficulties. PTI has no legal right to close roads for illegitimate demands.”
He claimed, “The government is providing all facilities for the health of PTI founder. PTI founder has been trying to get an NRO since November 2024. On November 25, 2024, PTI founder had agreed to a deal, but the deal could not materialize.”
The protest continues, and opposition leaders have made it clear that the sit-in will not end until Imran Khan is provided medical treatment facilities in the presence of his family and personal physicians.