Senator Rana Sanaullah on Thursday told the Senate that health and medical treatment are fundamental rights of every human being, warning that politicizing someone’s health is “a greater crime than anything else.”
His remarks came during a charged Senate session marked by protests from PTI lawmakers. Opposition members staged a protest and created a ruckus in the Senate over the health condition of the PTI founder.
During Sanaullah’s speech, PTI members continued protesting, waving pictures of the PTI founder and making noise in the House. They did not stop despite repeated instructions from the presiding officer.
The Senate session was chaired by Presiding Officer Waqar Mehdi. Speaking on the floor, Rana Sanaullah emphasized that there should be no politics on a person’s health, particularly referring to the jailed founder of PTI.
“If anyone does politics on someone’s health, they will be doing wrong,” he said. PTI members protested during his speech, banging desks and raising “No, No” slogans inside the House.
SC oversight, medical check-up
Rana Sanaullah stated that the matter is currently before the Supreme Court. He said that if anyone has further concerns, they should petition the Supreme Court rather than politicize the issue in parliament.
According to him, the chief justice of Pakistan had instructed that more specialists should examine the PTI founder’s health. He added that the check-up would be conducted as per arrangements made in consultation with Barrister Salman Safdar and the legal team.
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“If there is a better doctor than PIMS in the cancer hospital, then he can also conduct the examination,” he said.
Reference to Salman Safdar’s report
Rana Sanaullah said that the Supreme Court had appointed Barrister Salman Safdar as amicus curiae (friend of the court) to meet the PTI founder in jail. He noted that Salman Safdar spent around 3.5 hours in prison and submitted a report about the health condition and facilities provided.
According to Sanaullah, the report refuted the “propaganda” of the past four months, including claims that the PTI founder was kept in solitary confinement and denied facilities.
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However, he acknowledged that the report mentioned the PTI founder was not fully satisfied with his treatment.
He said that whenever the PTI founder complained, the doctor present in jail examined him immediately and prescribed treatment, which was provided at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
“It is not right to call this matter a crime,” he added.
Sanaullah further claimed that Salman Safdar initially stated that the PTI founder’s health was fine, but later said he had not made such a statement. He alleged that Salman Safdar changed his position due to criticism from the PTI social media brigade.
He also remarked that it was a positive impression that the court appointed as friends of the court only those who had reservations, ensuring transparency.
Call to avoid politicising health
Reiterating his stance, Rana Sanaullah urged lawmakers not to politicize the health of the opposition leader. “Health and treatment are fundamental rights,” he said. “There should be no politics on a person’s health.”
The debate unfolded amid continued political tensions, as opposition members staged loud protests during the session.
Earlier in the session, Opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas demanded that those responsible for the deterioration of the PTI founder’s eyesight be identified and punished.
Referring to Barrister Salman Safdar’s report, he stated that the founder’s eye condition was not properly addressed, which resulted in an 85% loss of vision. He called for a thorough investigation to determine who was responsible.
Raja Nasir Abbas further urged politicians to unite for the sake of their collective dignity and the rule of law.
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Also on Thursday, the Supreme Court directed that PTI founder Imran Khan be provided access to eye specialists and allowed telephonic contact with his sons, Qasim and Suleman, with both steps mandated to be completed by February 16.
