Minister of Justice says the injection was administered and the procedure was successful; The founder of PTI receives all the facilities provided by law.
A combined photo of Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and PTI founder Imran Khan. PHOTO: APP/EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar informed the Senate on Tuesday that Pakistan Tehreek e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on his own request.
PIMS previously confirmed that Imran was taken to hospital, where, after obtaining his consent, he was administered an intravitreal anti-VEGF injection to treat a right central retinal vein occlusion. The PTI rejected the PIMS report on Imran’s eye treatment and demanded that he be treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital and his family be allowed to join him.
Speaking in the Senate today, the law minister termed Islamabad’s PIMS as the leading tertiary hospital in the public sector and said a medical board had examined Imran, administered the required injection and noted positive progress.
Read: Imran Khan transferred to hospital for minor eye procedure, Tarar confirms
Tarar claimed that the former prime minister reportedly asked to be taken in at night if there was any potential problem related to law and order. “The founder of PTI faced a specific problem,” Tarar said, adding that Imran personally requested to be administered the injection at PIMS.
Stating that Imran’s health was “completely fine” and his procedure was successful, Tarar said there were no further problems with the former prime minister. He also stated that the details of the diagnosis and treatment had been officially shared through a press conference by the PIMS executive director.
Tarar assured the Senate that if any additional medical needs arise, all facilities would be provided as per law. He said the federal government fully respected human rights and had never issued any directive to deny medical treatment to any prisoner.
However, the Justice Minister stressed that any additional solution regarding medical care, meetings or prison conditions must be sought through the Islamabad High Court, which was the competent appellate forum in the matter.
The minister further claimed that Imran was a prisoner convicted in corruption cases and all medical and legal facilities were being provided to him in accordance with the law and prison rules.
Responding to a point raised by Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Tarar said the Constitution guarantees the rights of every individual, but the implementation of those rights is regulated through legal procedures.
Read more: PTI rejects PIMS report, calls for treatment for Imran Khan in Shaukat Khanum
He said the former prime minister was convicted after an open and full trial lasting more than a year in a National Accountability Bureau corruption case and was currently serving his sentence as a confined prisoner.
The minister said the former prime minister was also convicted of another allegation related to undervaluation of a jewelery set, where assets worth millions of rupees were displayed at a much lower price, causing losses to the national exchequer.
