Urges SC to ensure Khan’s family members duly informed, granted 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 the health of party founder Imran Khan 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 grant immediate access to Imran’s personal doctors and direct 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. Given the findings recorded in the report submitted before this honourable court, the conduct of a medical examination in secrecy, without notice to the family or independent doctors, has given rise to serious apprehensions,” Khosa said in a letter available to The Express Tribune.
Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023, currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. In addition, he faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023. The party has expressed concern in recent days 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 eyesight and did not recommend transferring him to a hospital. According to hiss medical report, obtained by The Express Tribune, his vision in his right eye has improved from 6/36 to 6/9, while his left eye retains 6/6 vision with the use of glasses. The assessment was conducted by Dr. Nadeem Qureshi and Dr. Arif, following a detailed examination at Adiala Jail.
Read More: 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 medical practitioners from information concerning his health had created unavoidable doubts.
“Such secrecy not only undermines confidence in the medical process but also causes unrest and distress among his family members, friends, and supporters,” he added.
Khosa also wrote that Imran, who was taken into custody in May 2023, faced prolonged incarceration, during which his fundamental and statutory rights had consistently been violated. While earlier his family members and close associates were allowed to meet him in accordance with jail rules, it had now been over four to five months that no meetings have been permitted. His family had effectively been denied access to him, the letter said.
He continued, stating that in recent months, reports had emerged across Pakistan raising serious concerns regarding the deterioration of Imran’s eyesight and overall health. These reports, compounded by the continued denial of access to his family members, had created deep uncertainty.
Khosa further noted that the report submitted by Barrister Salman Safdar, appointed as the 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 care contributed to the permanent damage.
“In the backdrop of these alarming findings, it has now transpired that a medical check-up of the Petitioner was conducted inside Central Jail, Rawalpindi, on 15.02.2026. Shockingly, the examination was carried out in complete absence of his family,” Khosa wrote.
He added that assertions claiming Imran’s family and party members were informed but voluntarily chose not to attend were “wholly incorrect and unrealistic”.
“At no stage were the petitioner’s family members, personal physicians, or counsel 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 examination. The petitioner’s personal doctors, family members and legal team were denied access, contrary to the recommendations noted by Barrister Salman Safdar.”
Khosa emphasised that the concern raised before the court had always been reasonable: the petitioner should be afforded transparent medical care; his personal doctors should be permitted to examine him; and his family should be informed and allowed access to his health condition.
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In conclusion, Khosa prayed that the Supreme Court (SC) direct the concerned authorities to provide an attested copy of the medical report from the check-up conducted on February 15, permit immediate access to Imran’s personal doctors, including Dr. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf, for independent medical examination and treatment, and direct the authorities to shift Imran to Islamabad’s Shifa hospital for immediate treatment.
He further prayed that the SC ensure Imran’s family members were duly informed and granted reasonable access regarding his medical condition and any future medical procedures.
According to the Imran’s medical report, the anterior segment of both eyes was normal and the cornea was clear. It noted mild intragel haemorrhage at the edge of the right eye and moderate retinal haemorrhage in all four quadrants.
Swelling in the macula of the right eye was subsiding, with 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 that Imran had normal 6/6 vision in one eye, while the other eye achieved about 70% vision with glasses. Speaking at a lawyers’ event in Ferozewala, he said the specialist medical team had expressed satisfaction with the treatment being provided and had also briefed opposition leaders and Imran’s personal doctors.
On the other hand, the opposition protests continue until urgent medical treatment is provided for Imran’s eye condition. The opposition lawmakers’ demonstration began on Friday and has continued despite government assurances. Monday marked the fourth day of leaders conducting sit-ins outside Parliament House and K-P House.
Lawmakers have vowed the sit-in would not end until Imran is shifted for specialist care. Protesters have cited reports claiming his right-eye vision has deteriorated significantly and have demanded treatment in the presence of his family and personal physicians.
