Politics

PTI Calls for Unrestricted Access to Imran Khan After Hospital Visit

By Abid Hussain

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded unrestricted access to former Prime Minister Imran Khan after he was taken to Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for an eye examination and then returned to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Khan, 74, left the jail briefly for a medical check advised by his ophthalmologist. He received intravitreal injections in his right eye to treat central retinal vein occlusion, a condition diagnosed after he reported reduced vision. The first injection was given in January; a second was administered overnight. PIMS stated that Khan’s vital parameters were normal, he was clinically stable, and his general physical examination was normal. He was discharged around 2:30 a.m. (21:30 GMT on Tuesday) with instructions for further care and follow‑up.

Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 on corruption charges he says are politically motivated. The PTI said the overnight hospital visit and his return to prison raise “deeply troubling questions” about his health, the quality of his medical care and the transparency surrounding his condition. The party added that a human being’s health is not a political bargaining chip and that the state bears full responsibility for his safety and wellbeing. It called for immediate and unrestricted access for his family, personal doctors and legal team.

PTI information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Al Jazeera that neither the family nor the party was informed about the hospital visit and that the party learned of it from news reports. He added that no family members or the personal physician were present at the hospital.

During a hearing on Tuesday, Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar told the Islamabad High Court that while Khan said his eyesight had improved, his blood pressure remained a concern. Safdar was appearing on behalf of Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to appeal against their convictions in a property case.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told reporters that Khan was receiving the required medical care and that his treatment was not being neglected. In August, the Supreme Court ordered that Khan should be moved to a private hospital of his choice in Islamabad, but he was taken to PIMS and returned to jail.