Achakzai calls for PM Shehbaz’s ‘personal intervention’ on Imran’s medical tests by trusted doctors

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Mahmood Khan Achakzai wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressing concern over the health of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and sought the prime minister’s personal intervention to allow a full medical examination by a team of “trusted doctors”.

PIMS previously confirmed that Imran was taken to hospital where, after his consent was obtained, he received an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection to treat a right central retinal vein occlusion. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar informed the Senate today that Imran was taken to PIMS on his own volition.

Achakzai wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on the matter today, which was later shared by the opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) on X.

“I am writing with utmost urgency to bring to your attention a serious matter regarding the health of former Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan who is currently detained in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi,” Achakzai said.

He said it had come to his attention that recent medical checks were carried out without the knowledge or presence of Imran’s personal medical team or family members and that his personal doctors, who were fully aware of his medical history, were not informed.

Achakzai urged a comprehensive medical assessment at Adiala jail, saying Imran’s health was “a matter of fundamental human rights”.

Read more: PTI demands immediate access to Imran Khan amid reports of hospital visits

“A full medical examination and testing by his trusted doctors is critically needed without any delay to properly assess and manage his health in accordance with medical ethics, legal obligations and basic human rights,” the letter said.

Achakzai urged that Imran’s medical examination be conducted by doctors from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center and Shifa International Hospital, and suggested the names of Drs. Muhammad Aasim Yusuf, Prof Mazhar Ishaq and Prof Aamir Awan.

“Your immediate personal intervention to ensure this medical access is necessary. For the health and well-being of a former prime minister to be ensured,” the opposition leader requested PM Shehbaz.

Achakzai had also called for Imran to have access to his personal doctors in Monday’s NA session. calls on the authorities to allow an investigation by independent doctors. “Send two doctors to examine Imran Khan,” he had said.

He had said he would write to Prime Minister Shehbaz and request that the detained PTI founder’s personal doctors be allowed to check him.

PTI had rejected the PIMS report on Imran’s eye treatment and demanded that he be treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital and that his family be allowed to meet him.

PTI’s Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram speaks about Express news programme, ‘Centre Stage’, said the party did not accept any PIMS report. “Treatment of the PTI founder should be done at Shaukat Khanum and the founder’s family should be allowed to meet him. Our response is that these reports and vlogs should stop. We will not be happy with these actions,” he said.

He recalled that during the PTI government, when PML-N President Nawaz Sharif was ill, Imran had said that political differences should be put aside and no one’s life should be politicized.

Akram emphasized that public sentiment should not be exploited. “We are saying that PTI founder should be processed at Shaukat Khanum, not PIMS,” he added.

He questioned the relevance of objections to an examination by the founder’s own doctor. “Were meetings with the founder not arranged before? Now we are being lectured on prison manuals and laws,” he said.