ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday confirmed that incarcerated PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan underwent a brief medical procedure for an eye ailment last week at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.
Speaking to a TV channel, Tarar said Imran, who is imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, was taken to PIMS late on January 24 on the recommendation of eye specialists. He said doctors first examined the former premier inside the jail before advising a “small medical procedure” at the hospital.
“After further examination at PIMS and with his written consent, a 20-minute medical procedure was carried out,” Tarar said, adding that Imran was returned to Adiala jail the same night with medical instructions. “His vitals remained stable throughout and he is absolutely healthy.”
The minister maintained that all prisoners were entitled to medical care under jail rules and dismissed concerns regarding Imran’s health, reiterating that the procedure was carried out solely on doctors’ advice.
Earlier this week, the PTI claimed Imran had been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in his right eye, warning that the condition could lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly. The party also filed a fresh petition in the Islamabad High Court seeking permission for its MNAs to meet the former premier.
A senior Pims doctor said Imran was brought to the hospital under strict security late Saturday night and remained there for several hours before being taken back to jail early Sunday. He claimed there was “extraordinary movement” at the hospital, with operation theatres and the anaesthesia area cordoned off ahead of Imran’s arrival.
PTI condemns ‘secret transfer’
Responding to Tarar’s remarks, the PTI strongly criticised what it termed Imran’s “secret transfer” to PIMS, alleging that his family, lawyers and personal physicians were deliberately kept uninformed.
The party called the move “clear malice, bad faith and a grave unconstitutional and illegal act”, questioning why any request for treatment, if made by Imran, was not disclosed to his family and legal team. It demanded that meetings with Imran be arranged immediately and that his personal doctors be granted unrestricted access.
Warning of consequences, the PTI said continued denial of access would place full responsibility on the federal and Punjab governments as well as jail authorities, claiming public patience was being “severely tested”.
The opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) also termed the episode “criminal negligence” and demanded immediate disclosure of Imran’s medical condition to his family, calling denial of access to personal physicians a violation of court orders.
Former opposition leader Omar Ayub accused the government of denying Imran proper medical care and urged the judiciary to enforce its writ.
Family raises alarm
Imran’s sister Noreen Niazi earlier demanded that his medical reports be made public, questioning why the family and lawyers were kept in the dark if he had indeed been taken to hospital.
Calling the episode “terrifying and mysterious”, she warned that any harm to Imran’s eyesight would not be “buried in silence”. Imran’s son, Kasim Khan, also alleged that authorities were blocking his father’s treatment and denying him access to trusted doctors, urging human rights defenders to intervene.
“CRVO can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated urgently,” he said, adding that democracy and basic human rights were being eroded in Pakistan.
