Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was taken from Adiala jail to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad late Tuesday night for a medical examination and follow-up eye treatment, hospital authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
According to an official statement issued by the Pims administration, Imran was brought to the hospital during the night between November 10 and 11 for a medical check-up, which included further treatment for his eyesight.
On the recommendation of an eye specialist, the former prime minister was administered an anti-VEGF injection in his eye. The procedure was performed by a team from the hospital’s ophthalmology department.
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The hospital administration stated that all of Imran’s vital medical indicators were within normal limits during the examination. It further described his overall physical condition as satisfactory and stable.
Sources said the PTI founder was transported to the hospital under tight security arrangements, with similar measures maintained during his return to Adiala jail after the examination.
The development comes amid growing demands from PTI leadership and Imran’s legal team for improved access to medical facilities and the involvement of his personal doctors in monitoring his health.
PTI demands transfer to Shifa International Hospital
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said he learned about Imran’s overnight hospital visit through media reports.
He reiterated the party’s demand that the former prime minister be transferred to Shifa International Hospital in accordance with the Supreme Court’s August 18 directives.
Gohar also called for the formation of a medical board comprising Imran’s personal physician and a member of his family to oversee his treatment and assess his medical condition.
In a post on X, the PTI chairman expressed concern that the court’s directions had not been implemented despite the passage of several months.
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“Regrettably, this order has remained unimplemented for nearly three months,” he wrote.
He demanded that Imran be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital for comprehensive medical examinations, necessary diagnostic tests and appropriate treatment.
The PTI leadership has repeatedly called for greater transparency regarding the former prime minister’s health, particularly concerning reports about his eyesight and blood pressure.
IHC orders meetings with Imran and Bushra Bibi
Imran’s hospital visit came a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed authorities to facilitate meetings between lawyers Latif Khosa and Salman Safdar and the PTI founder and his wife, Bushra Bibi, at Adiala jail.
The directions were issued during a hearing of appeals filed by Imran and Bushra against their convictions in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.
An IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif heard the appeals.
During the proceedings, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan informed the court that the requested meetings could be arranged if the lawyers assured the court that arguments in the appeals would commence at the next hearing.
Lawyer Latif Khosa told the court that he had repeatedly sought permission to meet Imran but had been unable to secure access to his client.
He requested at least an hour-long meeting with the former prime minister to discuss the ongoing legal proceedings and obtain necessary instructions.
Following his request, the court directed the Islamabad advocate general to make arrangements for meetings with both Imran and Bushra Bibi.
Barrister Salman Safdar, who is also representing the former prime minister, sought another meeting, explaining that his previous interaction with Imran had provided some instructions but had not been sufficient for preparing the case.
Concerns over eyesight and blood pressure
During Tuesday’s hearing, Safdar informed the court about Imran’s health concerns, particularly his eyesight and blood pressure.
According to the lawyer, the PTI founder had told him during their previous meeting that his eyesight had improved. However, his blood pressure reportedly remained uncontrolled.
Safdar also warned about the potential risk of a brain haemorrhage linked to the reported blood pressure concerns.
The latest hospital visit and administration of an anti-VEGF injection have brought renewed attention to the former prime minister’s eye treatment and the demands for independent medical monitoring.
Meanwhile, the PTI continues to press authorities to implement the Supreme Court’s directives regarding Imran’s medical care, including his transfer to Shifa International Hospital and the formation of a medical board involving his personal physician and a family representative.
The Pims administration has maintained that Imran’s vital indicators were within normal limits following the latest examination and that his overall condition was stable.
