Pakistan to provide specialized eye treatment for jailed Imran Khan

The Pakistani government has authorized specialized medical care for incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan after a medical report revealed significant deterioration in his eyesight. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced Saturday that Khan will receive treatment from leading eye specialists at an appropriate medical facility, with comprehensive findings to be submitted to the Supreme Court.

"Pursuant to ongoing eye treatment of Imran Khan; further check-up and treatment will be done in a specialized medical facility by best eye specialists," Tarar posted on X, formerly Twitter. The minister urged against transforming the health matter into political spectacle, stating, "Conjecture, speculations and efforts to turn this into political rhetoric and mileage for vested interests may please be avoided."

Medical Findings and Political Response

A report submitted Thursday to the Supreme Court by Salman Safdar, a lawyer who visited Khan at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail on Tuesday, indicated the former cricket star turned politician has been left with just 15 percent vision in his right eye. The alarming assessment has intensified demands from Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and its supporters for immediate hospitalization and comprehensive medical evaluation.

Opposition lawmakers from the Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan alliance continued their protest outside parliament in Islamabad for a second consecutive day Saturday, with demonstrators calling for Khan to be transferred from prison to a hospital setting. Khan's sister, Aleema Khanum, confirmed the former premier was permitted approximately 20 minutes of telephone contact with his sons, who reside in the United Kingdom.

Detention Background

Khan, who was removed from office through a parliamentary vote in April 2022, has remained incarcerated since late 2023 on multiple charges that his political supporters and human rights advocates maintain are politically motivated. The former prime minister's legal troubles have deepened Pakistan's political polarization, with his detention drawing domestic and international scrutiny.

The government's decision to facilitate specialized eye treatment may ease some tensions, though opposition figures continue to question whether the incarcerated leader is receiving adequate medical attention given the severity of his reported condition. The Supreme Court's eventual review of the detailed medical report could influence subsequent legal proceedings and political dynamics surrounding Khan's continued detention.