Urges SC to ensure that Khan’s family members are duly informed, given reasonable access regarding his medical condition
Lawyer Latif Khosa (L), PTI founder Imran Khan, CJP Yahya Afridi. Photo: Files
Lawyer and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Latif Khosa expressed serious concerns over party founder Imran Khan’s health and the secrecy surrounding his medical examination in a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Monday.
He urged the CJP to provide immediate access to Imran’s personal doctors and request the authorities to transfer him to Islamabad’s Shifa hospital.
“The petitioner has repeatedly sought access to his personal doctors for an independent examination and treatment of his deteriorating eye condition. Considering the findings in the report submitted to this honorable court, conducting a medical examination in secret, without notifying the family or independent doctors, has given rise to serious concerns,” Khosa said in a letter available to Express Pakinomist.
Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence in Adiala prison in a £190m corruption case. In addition, he faces pending legal proceedings under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests on 9 May 2023. The party has in recent days expressed concern over Imran’s health and demanded treatment by his own team of doctors.
A medical board that examined him a day earlier reported an improvement in his vision and recommended against moving him to a hospital. According to hissing medical report, obtained by Express Pakinomisthis right eye vision has improved from 6/36 to 6/9, while his left eye maintains 6/6 vision when using glasses. The assessment was carried out by Dr. Nadeem Qureshi and Dr. Arif after a detailed investigation in Adiala Jail.
Read more: The Medical Board reports improvement in Imran Khan’s eye condition
In the letter to the CJP, Khosa further stated that the continued exclusion of Imran’s family and personal doctors from information about his health had created inevitable doubts.
“Such secrecy not only undermines confidence in the medical process, but also causes unease and anxiety among his family members, friends and supporters,” he added.
Khosa also wrote that Imran, who was remanded in custody in May 2023, faced prolonged imprisonment where his fundamental and statutory rights had been consistently violated. While his family members and close associates were previously allowed to meet him in accordance with prison rules, it has now been over four to five months that no meetings have been allowed. His family had in fact been denied access to him, the letter said.
He went on to state that in recent months, reports had emerged across Pakistan raising serious concerns regarding the deterioration of Imran’s eyesight and general health. These reports, compounded by the continued denial of access to his family members, had created deep insecurity.
Khosa further noted that the report submitted by advocate Salman Safdar, appointed as friend of the court, confirmed that Imran’s right eye now had only 15% vision. It also pointed out that the lack of timely medical attention contributed to the permanent damage.
“In the light of these alarming findings, it has now emerged that a medical check-up of the petitioner was conducted inside the Central Jail, Rawalpindi on 15.02.2026. Shockingly, the examination was conducted in the complete absence of his family,” Khosa wrote.
He added that claims that Imran’s family and party members were informed but voluntarily chose not to participate were “completely incorrect and unrealistic”.
“At no point were the petitioner’s family members, personal doctors or counselors informed. In fact, when the petitioner’s sisters approached the authorities, they were denied access,” he said. “Instead, a panel of handpicked doctors was formed to conduct the investigation. The petitioner’s personal doctors, family members and legal team were denied access, contrary to the recommendations noted by lawyer Salman Safdar.”
Khosa emphasized that the concern raised before the court had always been reasonable: the petitioner should have transparent medical treatment; his personal physicians should be permitted to examine him; and his family should be informed and have access to his state of health.
Read also: PTI restarts KP House protest after reviewing Imran’s health report
In conclusion, Khosa asked the Supreme Court (SC) to order the authorities concerned to produce a certified copy of the medical report of the check-up conducted on February 15, give immediate access to Imran’s personal doctors, including Dr. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf, for independent medical examination and treatment, and ask the authorities to move Imran to hospital in Islamabad immediately.
He further prayed that the SC ensure that Imran’s family members are duly informed and given reasonable access regarding his medical condition and any future medical procedures.
According to Imran’s medical report, the anterior segment of both eyes was normal and the cornea was clear. It noted mild intragel hemorrhage at the edge of the right eye and moderate retinal hemorrhage in all four quadrants.
The macular swelling in the right eye was decreasing, with the macular thickness reduced from 550 to 350 microns. The board outlined ongoing medication and treatment and recommended OCT angiography and fundus fluorescein angiography after completion of anti-VEGF therapy, the report added, while no recommendation was made for Imran’s transfer to a hospital.
Separately, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Imran had normal 6/6 vision in one eye while the other eye achieved about 70% vision with glasses. Speaking at a lawyer’s event in Ferozewala, he said the specialist medical team had expressed satisfaction with the treatment and had also briefed opposition leaders and Imran’s personal doctors.
On the other hand, opposition protests continue until emergency medical treatment is provided for Imran’s eye condition. The opposition lawmakers’ demonstration began on Friday and has continued despite the government’s assurances. Monday marked the fourth day of leaders conducting sit-ins outside Parliament House and KP House.
Lawmakers have vowed the sit-in would not end until Imran is moved to specialist treatment. Protesters have cited reports claiming that the vision in his right eye has significantly deteriorated and has required treatment in the presence of his family and personal doctors.
