Islamabad: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said the government remains responsible for the health of PTI founder Imran Khan and will fully implement the Supreme Court’s decision regarding his medical treatment.
Speaking to the media, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the government was praying for Imran Khan’s health and maintained that he had been provided with the best available medical facilities even without an appeal from PTI.
He said he was pleased to see PTI members praising the judiciary, but described it as a strange approach to praise the courts when decisions were in their favour and level allegations against the judiciary when rulings went against them.
The federal minister said Pakistan’s judiciary was independent and was delivering decisions on merit.
Chaudhry reiterated that responsibility for Imran Khan’s health rested with the government in the past, remains with the government today and will continue to do so.
He said the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the PTI founder’s health and treatment would be implemented in letter and spirit.
The minister said PTI now appeared convinced that the courts were delivering justice, adding that previous releases had also come through judicial orders.
According to him, the courts remain the only legal channel through which a person’s release can be secured, while the prime minister does not have executive authority to act contrary to judicial decisions.
Responding to a question regarding talks with the opposition, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the opposition leaders were not members of PTI but had the confidence of Imran Khan.
He said the government had made it clear that the opposition leadership should have PTI’s confidence, adding that negotiations could not proceed effectively if the government was holding talks with opposition representatives while PTI leaders continued making conflicting statements.
The minister welcomed the PTI parliamentary party’s expression of full confidence in the opposition leadership.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhry added that the prime minister would respond to the opposition leader’s letter within a day or two, after which a venue would be decided for a joint meeting between the government and opposition.
