Imran Khan’s vision ‘almost normal’ after treatment, Adiala jail tells Pakistan’s supreme court
Adiala jail reports significant improvement in Imran Khan’s eyesight . Image credit: Wikimedia
New Delhi: Former Pakistan prime minister, Imran Khan’s vision has improved to “almost normal” following treatment for a right-eye condition, according to a medical report submitted by Adiala jail authorities to the supreme court of Pakistan on Monday. The report was filed a day before the court is scheduled to hear Khan’s plea seeking treatment at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad and access to his personal physicians and family.
The report said Khan received treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad after being diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in his right eye. It said his condition had shown “significant improvement” following medical intervention.
According to the report, Khan was treated by Dr Muhammad Arif Khan, head of ophthalmology at PIMS, and Dr Nadeem Qureshi, a vitreo-retinal surgeon at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi. The jail authorities said records of Khan’s medical examinations and prescriptions by visiting consultants had been maintained and submitted to the court.
The report also said Khan had undergone his latest eye checkup on August 10. It recorded that the examination was uneventful and that the condition of his eye had improved following treatment. The medical records attached to the report include details of several consultations since his incarceration.
The latest submission comes after months of dispute over Khan’s medical care in prison. His family and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have sought access for his personal doctors and called for him to be moved to Shifa International Hospital for specialized treatment.
The issue became a major point of contention earlier this year after Khan’s lawyer told the supreme court that the former prime minister had lost most of the vision in his right eye. A report submitted in February said Khan had been left with about 15% vision in the affected eye.
The claim prompted the supreme court to seek a medical assessment of Khan while he remained in Adiala jail. A government-appointed medical team subsequently examined him and reported an improvement in his eyesight. Khan’s family and PTI, however, questioned the government’s assessment and continued to seek an independent examination and access for his personal physicians.
Khan was later taken to PIMS for follow-up treatment. His eye condition has since remained the subject of legal proceedings, with his lawyers arguing that treatment should be provided at a specialist private hospital rather than solely through prison medical facilities.
The Islamabad high court also dealt with the issue in March, ordering the formation of a medical board to review Khan’s health. The board included Dr Arif and Dr Qureshi, who had already been involved in his treatment. The court said the authorities would have to decide, under prison rules, whether Khan should be transferred to a hospital outside the jail for specialized treatment.
The Adiala jail report, however, argues that the treatment provided to Khan has been adequate. It said medical officers visit him three times a day to check his meals and record vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation.
It also said Khan’s medical records had been maintained since he entered the jail and that doctors from different specialities had examined him during his incarceration.
The report was submitted as Khan’s plea for medical treatment comes before the supreme court again. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Shahid Wahid, along with Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, is scheduled to hear the case on Tuesday.
Khan, 73, has been in prison since August 2023. His detention and access to medical care have remained contentious issues between his PTI party, his family and the Pakistani authorities.
The supreme court hearing will now consider Khan’s request against the backdrop of the latest jail report, which maintains that his eyesight has improved substantially after treatment and that the authorities have provided him with medical care.
