Imran Khan’s Eye Condition Shows Improvement, According to Medical Team
A medical team has reported progress in the eye condition of Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, currently held in Adiala prison. This development was shared by Dr. Aasim Yusuf, Khan’s personal physician, via a video statement on X, although he himself has not been granted access to his patient.
Dr. Yusuf’s comments followed an examination by a panel of eye specialists who evaluated Khan’s condition at the prison in Rawalpindi. This examination was ordered by Pakistan’s Supreme Court amid concerns about Khan’s vision following a procedure in January.
Yusuf stated that he was informed by prison doctors over a phone call on Sunday, noting an “improvement” in Khan’s vision since his procedure in Islamabad due to partial vision loss. “Unfortunately, because I have not seen him myself and have not been able to participate in his care or speak with him, I am unable to either confirm or deny the veracity of what we have been told,” he expressed. Yusuf has urged for any further treatment to occur in an Islamabad hospital.
Meanwhile, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, a Cabinet minister, shared on X that after a comprehensive medical examination inside the prison, it was confirmed that Khan’s eyesight had improved and “no major complications have emerged.”
Concerns about Khan’s eyesight were initially raised when the government revealed he had undergone an eye procedure. This led to the Supreme Court instructing Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, to meet him in prison. According to Safdar, Khan had lost approximately 85% of vision in his right eye, causing alarm among his supporters in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI). As a result, PTI supporters have been protesting in Islamabad and other cities, calling for Khan’s transfer to a hospital. Some PTI lawmakers and allies have also been conducting a sit-in outside the parliament.
Khan, aged 73, has been incarcerated since 2023 following his conviction in a graft case. He was previously removed from office via a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. Khan claims that his removal was orchestrated through a U.S.-backed conspiracy involving his political rivals and the military, allegations that have been denied by Washington, the Pakistani military, and political adversaries, including the current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Despite his legal battles, Khan continues to be a significant figure in Pakistani politics, retaining a robust support base.
