Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday assured that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s ailing founder Imran Khan’s further check-up and treatment will be done at a “specialized medical facility by eye specialists”.
The Information Minister took to his X-handle and said that a detailed report on this will also be presented in the Supreme Court.
“Conjectures, speculations and efforts to turn this into political rhetoric and mileage for vested interests can please be avoided,” he added.
The development came as the sit-in staged by lawmakers from Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aiyeen Pakistan (TTAP) – an alliance of opposition parties – entered its second day today.
Opposition parties have staged a sit-in to demand that the jailed former prime minister be transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad after it emerged that Imran’s right eye had only 15% vision “due to delay in providing treatment”.
Imran, who has been in prison since August 2023, faces several cases ranging from corruption to terrorism after he was removed from power by the opposition in a vote of no confidence in April 2022.
The protest demonstrations are being held at Parliament House, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House and Parliament Chambers, with National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Allam Raja Nasir Abbas, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and former CM Ali Amin Gandapur also among the protesting politicians along with other opposition lawmakers.
In a video statement from Parliament House, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said they had been informed that the authorities had agreed to shift the ailing former prime minister to Shifa International Hospital.
“We were also told that a family member of the PTI founder will be allowed to meet him,” he added.
Raja said that proper medical treatment is the PTI founder’s right and should not be delayed.
The PTI leader said a phone call had been arranged between the PTI founder and his sons.
Separately, Aleema Khanum – Imran’s sister – also confirmed that the PTI founder spoke to his sons for “about 20 minutes”.
Imran was extremely happy to hear the voice of his sons – Sulaiman and Kasim Khan – after such a long time, she said, quoting his sons.
Aleema reached for her X-handle and said, “We are now awaiting his emergency medical treatment at Shifa International Hospital Islamabad under the supervision of his personal doctors, where specialists will do everything possible to restore his vision.”
She said the “deliberate delay” in getting him timely treatment has already caused damage to his eyesight.
“We cannot and will not tolerate further delays and immediate specialist treatment is essential to prevent permanent vision loss,” Aleema added.
Imran diagnosed with CRVO
The latest tensions between the government and the PTI follow last month’s confirmation that Imran is undergoing a medical procedure for his eye at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
The former prime minister was diagnosed with a serious eye disease known as central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), a condition that commonly affects older adults and is associated with underlying cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.
Pim’s CEO, Dr. Rana Imran Sikandar, later confirmed that a team of senior doctors assessed Imran’s condition before discharging him.
Dr. Sharing details of the treatment, Sikandar said Imran underwent a specialized medical procedure after doctors diagnosed a condition affecting the vision in his right eye.
Dr. Sikandar said the procedure was performed in a sterile operating room under close monitoring and was completed successfully in about 20 minutes.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details.
