Dubai: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly lost around 85 per cent of the vision in his right eye while in prison. His party is staging a sit-in outside Parliament, demanding immediate medical care for him.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has alleged that its chief and former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, is being secretly moved from jail to a hospital, calling the development a blatant violation of his fundamental rights and claiming it puts his life at risk.
The party alleged that even the 73-year-old leader’s family has not been informed about the reported shift. Calling to expedite Khan’s medical treatment, PTI insisted that any examination or medication must take place in the presence of his personal physicians and at least one family member.
Imran Khan’s family and legal team have repeatedly accused jail authorities of denying him proper medical care. According to reports, the former prime minister is suffering from multiple health issues, including loss of vision in his right eye.
“Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf expresses grave concern over reports and speculations suggesting a plan to secretly shift our Leader Imran Khan to a hospital for treatment without taking his family into confidence. Such an act is a blatant violation of both fundamental human rights and prevailing legal requirements,” the PTI said.
The party further stated that Pakistan’s jail rules require authorities to inform family members and doctors before conducting any medical examination, treatment, or transfer of a prisoner.
“We totally reject any form of secrecy surrounding the health of the former Prime Minister. Hiding facts once again—reminiscent of past patterns—is tantamount to deliberately putting Imran Khan’s health and life at risk,” the party added.
The party also termed the delay in providing treatment “extremely unfortunate and inhumane” and demanded that medical care begin immediately, asserting that “no compromise whatsoever will be made regarding the health and wellbeing of our leader.”
On Friday, Pakistan’s opposition alliance staged a sit-in near Parliament House to protest the health issues faced by Khan in jail. Meanwhile, the Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP), which includes PTI, began a protest outside Parliament House, vowing to continue until Khan is admitted to Al-Shifa Hospital.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court directed authorities to constitute a medical board to examine Khan’s eyes following reports of vision loss in one of them.
Khan has been in jail since August 2023, when he was arrested at his Lahore residence after being convicted in a corruption case. He is currently lodged in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
