ISLAMABAD:
Since the passing of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been fighting not only to obtain substantial relief from the courts but even to get its cases – particularly those involving its founder Imran Khan and his wife – timely fixation in the higher judiciary.
The party, whose founder and chief Imran Khan has been imprisoned for more than two years, continues to knock on the doors of the judiciary for hearings of its cases. However, progress has been at a snail’s pace, and PTI’s petitions are still stuck in a holding pattern on multiple forums.
Currently, PTI leaders including family members are raising their voices to get access to Imran Khan’s doctors for an eye examination.
Instead of approaching the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), PTI lawyers are systematically approaching the Supreme Court, seeking the transfer of Imran Khan to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment.
It is learned that PTI lawyers namely Barrister Gohar Ayub, Salman Akram Raja, Latif Khosa, Ali Muhammad Khan and others met the SC Secretary to settle the case related to Imran’s health.
Even KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, speaking in Pashto, appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, seeking the SC’s intervention on Imran’s health issue.
The SC is expected to settle the matter for hearing next week.
Legal experts believe that after the 27th amendment, the SC has no jurisdiction to give redress in such a matter. They say the SC cannot take up the matter against the will of the government.
Even the executive has the option of challenging SC proceedings before the FCC in which judges are appointed by the current government.
The SC is likely to accept the application filed by Imran Khan’s lawyer Latif Khosa next week, seeking that Imran be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital for specialized treatment of his eye condition by a retina specialist.
He also requested access to his personal doctors, Dr. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf, and requested that his family be allowed to remain present during medical examinations and treatments.
“The petitioner will be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad for proper treatment of his eyes by a retinal specialist and allowed access to his personal doctor Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yousaf,” the petition said.
The petition described Khan, 73, in declining health and said his condition was a cause of serious concern to both his family and the public. He added that he had repeatedly requested access to his personal doctors for independent examination and treatment of his deteriorating eye condition.
It is also requested that Khan’s next of kin be informed and granted reasonable access during his medical treatment, and that certified copies of all medical reports and examinations be provided to his lawyer. Additionally, he requested regular access to his attorney to ensure effective legal representation.
The lawyer also filed an application for early hearing in South Carolina claiming that subsequent developments, including medical examinations conducted on February 15 at Rawalpindi Central Jail and on February 23 at PIMS Hospital, without disclosing the medical reports to the petitioner’s lawyer or his family members, have aggravated the urgency of the matter. The continued uncertainty about his health status is causing great concern and apprehension.
Therefore, he requested to fix the matter for next week.
The petition states that over the past few months reports have emerged across Pakistan raising serious concerns about the petitioner’s deteriorating eyesight and general health. These reports, along with the continued denial of access to family members, have created deep uncertainty.
In these circumstances, the court was approached for appropriate relief. His Lordship, by order dated 10.02.2026, was pleased to appoint Advocate Salman Safdar, ASC, as a friend of the Court and permitted him to visit the petitioner in Rawalpindi Central Jail and submit a written report on his living conditions and health condition.
Pursuant to the order, Salman Safdar had submitted a report confirming that Imran was left with only about 15 per cent vision in his right eye. “It further records, particularly in paragraph 8, that despite the petitioner’s repeated complaints of blurred and dangerous vision, no timely or adequate medical intervention was carried out by the prison authorities, which ultimately resulted in complete loss of vision in one eye.”
It is submitted that in the backdrop of these alarming findings, it has been revealed that a medical examination of the petitioner was carried out on February 15, 2026 at Rawalpindi Central Jail. Surprisingly, said examination was carried out in the complete absence of his relatives, personal doctors or legal representatives. “They were not given any prior information about said medical examination.”
“It is claimed in certain quarters that the family and party members were informed but voluntarily decided not to attend. These claims are totally incorrect and unrealistic. At no point were the petitioner’s relatives, personal doctors or lawyers informed. In fact, when the petitioner’s sisters approached the authorities, they were denied access. Instead, a panel of carefully selected doctors was formed to conduct the examination. The petitioner’s personal doctors, family members and legal team were denied access. Contrarily, to the recommendations outlined by Advocate Salman Safdar, ASC, friend of the Court, in his report in paragraph 21.”
“The petitioner has repeatedly requested access to his personal doctors, namely Dr. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf, for independent examination and treatment of his deteriorating eye condition. Given the findings recorded in the report submitted before this Hon’ble Court, conducting a medical examination in secret, without prior notice to the family or independent doctors, has given rise to grave apprehensions.
“The continued exclusion of the petitioner’s family and personal doctors from information relating to his health has created inevitable doubts. Such secrecy not only undermines confidence in the medical process but is also causing upset and distress among his family, friends and supporters.”
