Imran Khan receives fourth dose of eye injection: PIMS

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Tuesday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan received a fourth dose of an intravitreal injection as part of his eye treatment.

According to a statement, Imran was brought to PIMS for follow-up eye treatment on April 28. “Prior to the procedure, he was examined by ophthalmologists and was found to be clinically stable. His optical coherence tomography was performed, which showed clinical improvement.”

“After obtaining informed consent and under standard follow-up, while adopting all precautionary measures and protocols in the operating room, the surgeons administered the fourth intravitreal injection under microscopic guidance,” the statement said.

Stating that the procedure was performed as a daycare surgery, PIMS said Imran “remained vitally stable before, during and after the procedure,” adding that “he was discharged with instructions for further care, follow-up advice and documents.”

Read: Government submits report on Imran’s eye treatment

Meanwhile, PTI president Barrister Gohar, in a post on

“I would add that whatever the treatment, our concern remains unanswered: Imran and Bushra Bibi should be transferred to a hospital for treatment under the supervision of their personal doctors, accompanied by their families,” he said.

Gohar said this was their fundamental right and they had been demanding its implementation for a long time.

In late January, the former prime minister, who remains imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, was first taken to hospital for a minor eye procedure. Five days later, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said PIMS doctors had conducted an examination of his eyes and, after obtaining his written consent, carried out a minor medical procedure that lasted about 20 minutes.

Amid the controversy surrounding the eye treatment, PIMS confirmed that Imran was administered an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection to treat right central retinal vein occlusion.

The confirmation came as PTI continued to express concern over the founder’s health, alleging that prison authorities and the government were obstructing his treatment for a serious eye condition and demanding immediate medical attention that included Imran’s treatment at Shifa International Hospital.

In February, a report prepared by lawyer Salman Safdar on the orders of the Supreme Court revealed that Imran had informed officials that his right eye was functioning at only 15% of its capacity. Safdar submitted the report to a two-member bench. As a result, the Supreme Court ordered that Imran be granted access to his personal doctors in Adiala Jail and be allowed telephone contact with his sons, Kasim and Sulaiman.

The report, prepared by Safdar after a nearly two-hour meeting with the former prime minister, also claimed that Imran repeatedly highlighted the “rapid and substantial loss of vision over the previous three months while he was alive and detained under the care and custody of Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum.” He told Safdar that his concerns about his eyes “were not taken seriously nor addressed by prison authorities.”

Read more: More than it seems

Later, a medical board that examined Imran reported an improvement in his eyesight and did not recommend transferring him to a hospital. According to the medical report, Imran’s vision in his right eye improved from 6/36 to 6/9, while his left eye had 6/6 vision with the use of glasses. The assessment was carried out by a board comprising Dr Nadeem Qureshi and Dr Arif, after a detailed examination at Adiala Jail.

In March, another medical check-up was carried out at Adiala, after which PIMS claimed that Imran had shown significant improvement in his vision after his second dose of an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection. The third dose was subsequently administered on March 23.

Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi also underwent a medical examination in Adiala in March after complaining of pain in her right eye. She was reportedly examined by Dr Muhammad Arif Khan, head of the ophthalmology department at PIMS. The medical report indicated that he had been experiencing blurred vision and black spots in his right eye; He also reported seeing flashes in the dark and said he suffered from headaches.

The examination diagnosed Bushra Bibi with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in her right eye. The report also identified myopia and astigmatism. After the diagnosis, Bushra Bibi was prescribed eye drops and medication, in addition to wearing glasses. They reportedly recommended a follow-up medical checkup after four weeks.

The former first lady underwent eye surgery on the night of April 16.

Imran and Bushra Bibi remain imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. They were sentenced on December 20, 2025 to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case, which concerns allegations that the couple illegally withheld a set of Bulgari jewelry gifted by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

Imran has been in custody since August 2023, serving a sentence in a £190 million corruption case. He also faces pending lawsuits under the Anti-Terrorism Law in connection with the May 9, 2023 protests.