Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. Photo: Reuters/file
ISLAMABAD:
A single medical revelation has altered the political temperature. Before jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan revealed that he had lost 15 percent of vision in his right eye, many within the PTI had quietly come to terms with prolonged imprisonment.
The legal space seemed restricted, the political climate unforgiving, and the prospect of immediate relief distant. Even among the most committed supporters, there was an air of grim resistance, a sense that it would be a long and exhausting wait.
Then came the seven-page report detailing the PTI founder’s prison conditions. Clinical in tone but politically combustible in implications, it changed the mood almost overnight. The legal and political struggle suddenly entered the realm of health and humanitarian concerns.
The partial loss of sight struck a chord that extended beyond partisan lines.
The speech changed. No longer limited to judicial technicalities or electoral grievances, the conversation moved to questions of moral responsibility and medical urgency.
In a matter of hours, the PTI grassroots seemed revitalized. Social media buzzed with concern, with several former cricketers publicly seeking relief for Khan. What once seemed implausible (the possibility of relief) began to seem less like an illusion.
Khan’s legal team has filed petitions with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking suspension of his sentences in the Toshakhana II case, citing serious health problems, including partial loss of vision in his right eye. Courts have ordered independent medical evaluations.
Inevitably, speculation followed. Was this simply a medical revelation or the opening act of a broader political choreography?
Some observers argue that recent events are too aligned to be accidental. The Supreme Court’s unexpected decision to allow one of Khan’s lawyers to meet him in jail raised eyebrows.
Equally intriguing was the measured tone adopted by Khan in the report itself, conspicuously avoiding direct blame on the establishment. PTI leaders abroad echoed that caution. Even the usually combative Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa urged PTI supporters to show restraint, while government ministers offered assurances of full medical assistance.
For seasoned political observers, the parallels are hard to ignore. They remember how former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, once convicted and serving time, finally got relief on medical grounds.
Is history, in some altered form, about to repeat itself?
“It’s a constant in Pakistani politics: whenever there is a clash between the civilian government and the authorities, any prevailing government will have to take a softer approach,” said Ahmed Bilal Mehbood, director of a think tank that closely follows political developments in Pakistan.
“But if you fight, you end up being knocked out. We have seen this happen repeatedly in the past,” he added, referring to Khan’s current situation.
Some observers believe that the PTI is already trying to recalibrate its tone. They point to the absence of statements of Khan’s X identifier. The last notably combative message to the establishment came on December 21. Some interpret the silence as a measure to appease the powers that be.
“Even if some things are happening behind the scenes, the course of action should be for Imran Khan to tone down his politics. Only then can some progress be made on these issues,” Bilal said.
“So if you want to return to Pakistani politics, you have to take the safer approach instead of confrontation,” he said.
PTI supporters, however, argue that the inactivity on Khan’s X handle is not evidence of any secret understanding, but rather the result of restrictions on visitors visiting him.
Bilal, however, maintained that if Khan wants to return to mainstream politics, he would need to modify his approach.
“When former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was in exile in 2002, he did not bother the authorities, he waited patiently, bided his time and then contested the elections again,” he said.
Journalist Mazhar Abbas, speaking to the Express PAkGazette, expressed doubts about Khan striking a secret deal with the authorities.
“I doubt he will be allowed to travel abroad. Even if he agrees to leave for medical reasons, people may not accept it because his entire political platform has been based on staying on the ground,” Abbas said.
According to Abbas, Khan has opposed the type of policy pursued by Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif and prefers to fight while remaining in the country.
Analysts believe any move by Khan to reach a deal carries a political risk as his supporters may have difficulty accepting it.
Abbas agrees with that assessment. “So even if you decide to go for health reasons or other reasons, the public may not accept it.”
He is also skeptical that authorities would allow Khan to leave. “It does not seem likely that permission will be granted. If it were, it would probably require a written undertaking that he would not make political statements from abroad, as was required of Nawaz Sharif in the past when he was released.”
