Party leaders seek specialized eye care and access for personal doctors and family
Supreme Court of Pakistan. PHOTO: APP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Senior members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court seeking the transfer of the party’s founder, former prime minister Imran Khan, to Al-Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment.
The petition was filed by PTI lawyer Latif Khosa in the Toshakhana criminal case under Rule 35(6) of the Supreme Court Rules, 2025, following a health assessment report prepared by lawyer Salman Safdar on the direction of the court.
It requested that Imran be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital for specialized treatment of his eye disease by a retina specialist. It also sought access to his personal physicians, Drs. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf, and requested that his family remain present during medical examinations and treatment.
“The petitioner should be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, for proper treatment of his eyes by a retinal specialist and allow access to his personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yousaf,” the petition said.
The petition described Khan, 73, as being in declining health and said his condition was a matter of grave concern to both his family and the public. It added that he had repeatedly sought access to his personal doctors for independent examination and treatment of his deteriorating eye condition.
The filing also requested that Khan’s family members be informed and given reasonable access during his medical treatment, and that his legal counsel be provided with certified copies of all medical reports and examinations. It further sought regular access to his lawyer to ensure effective legal representation.
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A two-judge Supreme Court bench has already stayed proceedings in the Toshakhana case till a final decision is issued by the High Court.
Khan has been in prison since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence in Adiala prison in a £190m corruption case. He also faces pending charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act linked to the May 9, 2023 protests.
His party has intensified calls for his release after a medical report submitted to the court said the vision in his right eye had dropped to 15%. But government officials say he is receiving appropriate medical care.
Following a recent medical assessment, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas were briefed on Khan’s condition during a session at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. His personal physicians, including Dr. Asim Yousaf and Dr. Khurram Mirza, was also informed and expressed satisfaction with the treatment, according to officials.
Separately, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Khan had normal 6/6 vision in one eye, while the other eye had about 70% vision with corrective glasses. Speaking at a lawyer’s event in Ferozewala, he said a specialist medical team was satisfied with Khan’s treatment and had briefed opposition leaders and his personal doctors.
According to a medical report obtained by Express PakinomistKhan’s right eye’s vision improved from 6/36 to 6/9, while his left eye measured 6/6 with glasses. The assessment was carried out by a medical board, including Dr. Nadeem Qureshi and Dr. Arif after investigating Khan in Adiala Jail.
