Court orders specialized eye care for Imran; Allows telephone contact with children; Government ensures compliance before February 16
Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan addresses the nation via video link on Wednesday. SCREEN CAPTURE
ISLAMABAD:
In a major development, the federal government on Thursday assured the Supreme Court that PTI founder Imran Khan would have access to specialist ophthalmologists for further medical assessment and allow telephone contact with his sons, Qasim and Salman, amid growing concerns about his deteriorating eyesight in custody.
The assurances were given during the hearing of a case relating to facilities available to the former prime minister imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, conducted by a two-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan.
While ordering authorities to ensure timely medical access, the Chief Justice stressed that Imran Khan, like all prisoners, was entitled to adequate healthcare, but without preferential treatment.
“We will not at all say that the PTI founder should be given superior facilities compared to other prisoners,” observed CJ Afridi.
The proceedings began with senior lawyer Latif Khosa appearing in court as arguments resumed in petitions related to the Toshakhana criminal trial. Engaging Khosa in a detailed exchange, the Chief Justice commented that Toshakhana’s appeal seemed to have become fruitless.
Khosa acknowledged that under normal circumstances this would be correct and explained that one petition involved calling defense witnesses while the other requested the transfer of the case, but argued that the court could still consider the matter in exceptional circumstances.
CJ Afridi advised that the appropriate forum should resolve the issue, while Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan noted that substantial appeals were already pending before the apex court and interim orders had been consolidated.
The Chief Justice reiterated that the SC cannot assume the role of an appellate court and must respect the jurisdiction of the high court. After arguments, the court reserved its verdict in the case challenging the Toshakhana trial process.
The court then took up the issue of Imran Khan’s living conditions and medical care and summoned Pakistan’s Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan to the stand. The Chief Justice noted that the reports submitted by advocate Salman Safdar, friend of the court, and the superintendent of Adiala jail were largely consistent and drew attention to paragraph 21 of the report.
According to the report read out in court, Imran Khan expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements, safety measures and food provided in the jail, but described the medical facilities available as unsatisfactory and specifically sought access to specialist ophthalmologists.
CJ Afridi noted that Imran Khan was currently lodged in a state suite and reiterated that “all prisoners, including the PTI founder, should be provided with the same medical facilities.”
Attorney General Awan assured the court that the government was willing to provide access to specialist ophthalmologists.
The Chief Justice commented that the government seemed to be “in good spirits” and added that allowing Imran Khan telephone contact with his children was also important.
“We trust the government. The government is in a good mood today,” the Chief Justice observed, ordering that access to medical specialists and phone calls with Imran Khan’s children be arranged as soon as possible. The attorney general said arrangements would be completed within two or three days.
In its written order, the SC recorded the attorney general’s assurance that access to ophthalmic specialists and telephone contact with Qasim and Salman would be provided by February 16.
However, the court rejected a request to allow a family member to be present during Imran Khan’s medical examination. During the hearing, advocate Salman Safdar had sought permission for the PTI founder to be examined by ophthalmologists in the presence of a family member, but the chief justice said the court could not issue such an order.
On a request to provide additional books to Imran Khan, the chief justice said books could be provided if doctors permitted, and stressed that health concerns took priority. “The issue of Imran’s health is very important,” observed CJP Afridi, adding that “an intervention was necessary.”
Attorney General Awan reiterated that providing medical care to prisoners was the responsibility of the State. “If the prisoner is not satisfied, the State will take action,” he said.
The court praised the role of the friend of the court and also praised the government for facilitating medical arrangements. Addressing the court, Safdar said he had received more than 100 calls and messages, including from his wife, seeking details of his jail visit.
“I told them this was a court trust and I couldn’t reveal anything, not even to my wife,” he said.
medical equipment
Earlier, the SC had ordered formation of a medical team to examine Imran Khan’s eye after the Safdar report quoted the PTI founder as stating that “only 15 per cent” of his vision remained in his right eye. The court also ordered that both the medical examination and telephone contact with her children be completed by February 16.
Safdar, who met Imran Khan at Adiala Jail on Tuesday as amicus curiae, submitted a seven-page report detailing the former prime minister’s living conditions. In it, he quoted Imran as saying that “despite the treatment administered (including an injection), he has only 15% vision left in his right eye.”
Imran told Safdar that until October 2025 he had “normal 6 x 6 vision in both eyes”, after which he began experiencing persistent blurry and hazy vision. He said he repeatedly reported the problem to the then jail superintendent, but that “no action was taken by the jail authorities.”
The report said: “[Imran] He stated that he subsequently suffered a sudden and complete loss of vision in his right eye, following which an ophthalmologist at Pims Hospital, Dr. Muhammad Arif, was called to examine him. According [Imran]”He was diagnosed with a blood clot that caused serious damage and, despite treatment (including an injection), he was left with only 15% vision in his right eye.”
Safdar added that he “personally observed that the petitioner appeared visibly disturbed and deeply distressed by the loss of vision and the absence of timely and specialized medical intervention.”
“Throughout the meeting, the petitioner’s eyes were watery, and he repeatedly used a handkerchief to wipe them, reflecting physical discomfort,” he recalled.
The report further states that Imran claimed that “regular and periodic blood tests” were not carried out and that while his personal doctors, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yusuf, had previously been allowed access, “despite repeated requests and the deterioration of his eye condition, no such access was allowed during the relevant period”.
Imran also claimed that for almost three months, the only treatment provided consisted of eye drops, which did not produce any improvement and were followed by a significant deterioration in vision. He also stated that despite being 73 years old, he had not been examined by a dentist for two years despite having repeatedly requested it.
Safdar said he was informed by jail staff that Imran was currently under the care of Dr Arif of Pims and that his vital signs were being recorded three times a day. He also clarified a day earlier that any statements attributed to him about Imran’s health outside the court file were “twisted and misrepresented.”
Meanwhile, a medical report dated February 6, signed by Pims CEO Prof Dr Rana Imran Sikander, was also submitted to the SC. Addressed to the Adiala Jail administration, the report notes that a full ophthalmic evaluation was performed and a diagnosis of “right central retinal vein occlusion” was made, recommending follow-up hospital treatment.
Dr Sikander recalled that Imran Khan was brought to Pims on the night of January 24 for a medical procedure. “The treatment plan, i.e. the need to administer anti-VGEF intravitreal injection, was explained in detail to the patient. Accordingly, informed consent was obtained,” he said, adding that the procedure was completed smoothly in about 20 minutes.
Safdar noted in his report that the medical note provided by Imran’s family did not “contain all the details of the episodes” nor did it identify the ophthalmologist who performed the tests and administered the treatment.
Reacting to the developments, Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan said in a post on He also said he and his brother Sulaiman were still being denied visas to visit their father.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the narrative of ill-treatment propagated by Imran Khan’s family had “fallen on its face” in the light of reports submitted to the court, adding that all facilities were available to the PTI founder.
Once the procedure was completed, the TS concluded the hearing.
