RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD (MNN); A five-member medical team examined former prime minister Imran Khan at Adiala Jail on Sunday, completing an hour-long check-up amid mounting controversy, while the PTI rejected the process as “malicious” for excluding his family and personal doctors.
Earlier this month, Imran claimed that only 15 per cent vision remained in his right eye. Subsequently, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the formation of a medical board and directed authorities to facilitate both an eye examination and phone calls with his children before February 16.
On Sunday afternoon, reports circulated that an ambulance had reached Adiala Jail to shift him to hospital. However, jail authorities termed the development a rumour, clarifying that he was being examined inside the prison and no transfer decision had yet been made.
According to sources, the doctors conducted a detailed eye examination, blood tests, and checked his blood pressure. The medical team reportedly waited over two hours before beginning the assessment and brought specialised eye equipment with them. Their report is expected soon.
The PTI swiftly rejected the medical inspection, insisting that no examination would be acceptable without the presence and approval of Imran’s family and his personal physicians. The party stated that inviting political leadership instead of family members lacked both moral and legal justification.
Imran’s sister, Aleema Khan, reiterated that the family would not accept any medical board formed without consultation with his private doctors. She maintained that treatment should only be conducted under the supervision of specialists recommended by them, preferably at Shifa International Hospital.
Earlier, Imran’s longtime physicians, Dr Aasim Yusuf and Dr Faisal Sultan, had called for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation at a tertiary-care facility, citing urgent retina specialist care for central retinal vein occlusion and severe vision loss.
Meanwhile, the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) continued its sit-in at Parliament House for a third consecutive day, demanding that Imran be shifted to a hospital of his choice. PTI leaders, including Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and senior figures, participated in the protest.
The alliance alleged that access to food, water, and medicines for protesters inside Parliament House had been restricted, calling it a violation of democratic norms. TTAP vowed to continue the sit-in until its demands were met.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also expressed concern over reports of deteriorating health among PTI-affiliated detainees, urging authorities to ensure transparent and independent medical examinations along with uninterrupted treatment.
Political leaders from Awaam Pakistan, including Dr Zafar Mirza, supported the peaceful protest, stating that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right and that non-violent demonstrations had played a role in recent developments.
