By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) on Tuesday voiced fresh alarm over the health of its jailed founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, warning that a reported eye condition could lead to permanent vision loss without urgent specialist treatment outside prison.
The party, in a statement posted on the social media platform X, said credible media reports indicating Khan had been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, describing it as a serious blockage in the retinal vein. “According to medical experts who reportedly checked him in jail, this is an extremely sensitive and serious medical condition which, if not treated promptly and properly, carries a high risk of permanent damage to his eyesight,” the PTI statement said.
It accused the administration at Adiala jail, where Khan has been held since August 2023, of insisting on in-prison treatment despite a specialist doctor’s assessment that it required an operating theatre and specialized facilities unavailable there. “This reckless attitude” endangers Khan’s vision and overall health, the party said, adding that his last access to a personal physician was in October 2024, in violation of Islamabad High Court orders.
A separate petition for regular medical check-ups has been pending since August 2025 and is being ignored, the statement said, calling it a “gross breach of fundamental human rights” driven by political vendetta. The PTI demanded immediate unrestricted meetings for Khan with family and associates to reassure the public about his condition, and transfer to Shaukat Khanum Hospital – which he founded – or another reputable facility of his choice for proper care under qualified specialists. “We strongly appeal to the judiciary to treat this as a matter of health and human life, not politics, and to ensure that no negligence or delay is allowed in his medical care.” The party warned that the government and jail authorities would bear responsibility for any permanent damage to Khan’s eyesight, given their obstruction despite medical advice and court directives.
Shaukat Khanum Hospital, in its own statement on X, expressed grave concern over Khan’s health, though it said it could not independently verify the reports. “While we have every confidence in the abilities and professionalism of the physicians currently looking after him, we nevertheless request that a team of physicians from Shaukat Khanum Hospital be given immediate access to Khan sahib and be allowed to participate in his care so as to reassure all those who are concerned for his welfare,” the hospital said.
Separately, PTI lawmakers filed a fresh plea at the Islamabad High Court seeking permission to meet Khan, with party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and several members of the National Assembly, including Ali Muhammad Khan, Shehryar Afridi, Salman Akram Raja, Aamir Dogar and Ali Asghar Khan appearing in person to submit the application after biometric verification.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, Gohar said Tuesdays were designated for meetings with Khan, but the party had repeatedly approached the chief justice without success. He said a letter signed by PTI lawmakers was being submitted, requesting meetings with Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in line with the law and court orders. Gohar expressed concern over the health of both Khan and Bushra Bibi, stressing that access to prisoners was a fundamental legal right that should not be politicized. “If true, it is worrying,” he said of the eye condition reports. Gohar noted Bushra Bibi’s last family meeting was on November 2, 2025, and Khan’s on December 2, 2025.
Khan, ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022, faces numerous charges from corruption to terrorism.The PTI has repeatedly alleged his imprisonment is politically motivated, claims the government denies.
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