PTI warns Imran Khan anger could spiral beyond calls for peace

A senior PTI leader warned that anger over Imran Khan's imprisonment is nearing a breaking point. The remarks sharpen the party's threat of nationwide protests over jail access and medical care.Public anger over the continued imprisonment of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan could reach a stage where even his call for reconciliation may not be enough to restore peace, a senior leader of his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said on Tuesday.Sohail Afridi, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is governed by Khan's party, said he could see rising unrest among young people. "I can see a spark of revolution in the eyes of the youth, and no one will be able to control it," he told reporters outside the Supreme Court building in Islamabad.Afridi's remarks came a day after he warned of protests across the country if Khan was not allowed to meet party colleagues scheduled to visit him in jail this week. He had said all parliamentarians of Khan's party would visit the jail on Thursday and warned that "entire Pakistan" would see massive protests if the meeting was denied.Khan, 73, has been lodged in Pakistan's Adiala Jail since 2023 and faces several cases. His party has repeatedly alleged that the authorities have denied him access to family members and party colleagues, and have not provided proper medical care for his health problems, including an eye condition. Joining a sit-in protest outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Afridi said public anger could grow to a point where, even if Khan asked for reconciliation, people might no longer respond to an appeal for peace. He also raised concern over reports about Khan's health and said the former premier had never sought relief from imprisonment on medical grounds.Afridi said Khan had been "unjustly imprisoned in fabricated cases" and warned that those responsible for what he described as oppression would also face consequences when their turn came. Referring to the judiciary, he said that even if one judge stood up for justice, it would encourage others to do the same. "If judges do not dispense justice and fail to perform the duty for which they receive salaries, where will the people go?" he said. The comments underlined PTI's sharpened protest warning over Khan's continued imprisonment, his access to visitors and medical care, and the party's wider criticism of the handling of his cases.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 11, 2026 17:22 IST