LAHORE: Pakistan’s main parties yesterday suspended campaigning for Saturday’s general election in honour of Imran Khan, who is in hospital with head and back injuries after falling at an election rally.
TV footage showed the ex- cricketer and head of the Pakistan Movement for Justice party (PTI) on his back in a hospital bed, wearing a neck brace, looking pale and groggy after his fall in Lahore.
Doctors have advised one week’s rest, throwing the rest of his campaign into jeopardy, but say his injuries are not life-threatening.
A TV statement Khan gave from his bed overnight, urging people to vote for his party, has been re-released as a “paid content” advert for his party, seeking to tap into sympathy vote.
“I did whatever I could for this country. Now remember 11th May, come out and vote for PTI without considering its candidates, just vote for PTI,” the 60-year-old said in a weak voice.
Hospital spokesman Khawaja Nazir said Khan had one main head injury, two “fractures” to his back and a small injury to his shoulder. “There is nothing serious. He has been shifted from the ICU to a private room.”
Shafqat Mehmood, a spokesman for PTI party, acknowledged that the injuries could stop Khan from appearing at rallies.
“It is clear that general campaign will continue, but Khan may not appear in rallies, we will have to follow doctors’ advice.”
He said that other men who fell from the lift with Khan were “fine” and back home with minor injuries.
Khan won one seat in 2002 and boycotted polls in 2008.
His main rival, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, tipped to win the election, called off campaigning and conveyed his sympathies. “Nawaz Sharif decided to suspend all his election campaign-related engagements scheduled for today,” PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said.
“Sharif had plans to address rallies in Punjab but they have been cancelled. We have not given any advertisements against PTI, we are running a positive campaign.”
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which controls the largest city of Karachi, announced on Twitter its leader Altaf Hussain, in self-exile in London, would not address supporters by telephone due to Khan’s condition.
Agencies
