Doctors’ team examines Imran Khan; sources report marked improvement in eye condition
By Sadia Khan :
The eye condition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has shown marked improvement, sources said on Sunday, as a five-member team of doctors conducted a medical examination at Adiala jail.
The examination lasted around an hour, sources told Geo News, adding that Dr Afaq, Dr Sikandar, and Dr Arif were among the doctors present.
Sources said the medical team waited nearly two-and-a-half hours for the PTI leadership, but after no one arrived, the examination was conducted without them.
However, the PTI rejected the inspection conducted without the presence of Khan’s family and personal physicians, terming it ‘malicious’.
The evaluation was initiated to meet a judicial deadline set by the Supreme Court, which requires a complete medical report to be submitted by February 16 (today).
His lawyer, Salman Safdar, visited Khan in jail this week and later submitted a report to the Chief Justice Yahya Afridi-led bench at the Supreme Court, detailing his concerns and requesting treatment for his client.
The News quoted Adiala jail Superintendent Sajid Baig as saying that the doctors’ team performed a detailed eye check-up under the supervision of a two-member medical board, while strict security arrangements were put in place during the visit.
He said the doctors arrived with medical equipment, medicines and other necessary supplies, and added that the medical team’s report was expected soon. Khan’s examination covered an eye assessment and the collection of blood samples for laboratory analysis.
On the other hand, the PTI leadership has formally rejected the validity of the examination. In an official statement, the party criticised the absence of Khan’s family members and his personal physicians during the process.
The party argued that the invitation extended to political leadership was a tactical diversion, maintaining that sensitive medical decisions remain the exclusive prerogative of Khan’s family and his private medical team. The party demanded immediate access for his personal doctors and an urgent meeting with his family.
The jail authorities have forwarded Khan’s medical record to the Punjab Home Department. The documents include a complete chart of the inmate’s vital signs, blood pressure, pulse, temperature and blood sugar levels.
A report detailing his eye condition has also been sent, along with consultation reports and details of the medical staff involved in his care. The record specifies he was examined when and by which doctors.
On-duty doctors conduct medical examinations and record vital signs three times daily. The daily medical assessments and vital records are compiled regularly, they said.
CRVO diagnosis
The development comes two weeks after a report revealed that the PTI founder, who has been in jail since August 2023, was diagnosed with a serious eye condition known as central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
CRVO is a disorder that commonly affects older adults and is linked to underlying cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.
Following the report, the PTI and members of his family expressed concern about the former premier’s health and demanded that he be shifted to a hospital for treatment.
While the federal government has stated that it is providing all necessary medical facilities to Khan, lawmakers from PTI and the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aiyeen Pakistan (TTAP) launched a sit-in at Parliament House on March 13, demanding that he be shifted to a hospital for proper treatment.
The protest, now in its third day, is being staged at Parliament House, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, and the Parliament Lodges.
Participants include National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, and former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
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