Pakistan says ex-PM Imran Khan’s eyesight improving, family challenges medical report

A government medical board in Pakistan said that former prime minister Imran Khan’s vision has improved following treatment for an eye condition on Tuesday. His family, however, challenged the government’s account and renewed calls for his transfer to a private hospital.

According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, or PIMS, the 74-year-old former premier was examined on Mar. 3 at Adiala Jail by a medical board that included Prof. Dr. Nadeem Qureshi of Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital and Prof. Dr. M. Arif Khan, head of ophthalmology at PIMS.

The statement said the examination followed Khan’s second dose of an intravitreal anti-VEGF injection. Doctors assessed both eyes through visual acuity testing, fundoscopy, slit-lamp examination, and optical coherence tomography.

The board concluded that his vision had “improved remarkably” and was “substantially good at this stage.” Further care was advised as previously planned.

Khan was first taken from Adiala Jail to PIMS under tight security on Jan. 24 for his initial eye procedure. He returned Feb. 24 for a second visit related to the same condition. Tuesday’s evaluation and follow-up procedure were conducted inside the prison rather than at the hospital.

Family raises concerns

The medical update came on a scheduled visitation day at Adiala Jail for Khan’s family and lawyers, as well as for his wife, Bushra Bibi.

According to party officials, Bushra Bibi’s family had been allowed to visit last Tuesday. Today, relatives were permitted inside the jail premises, but no meeting between Bushra Bibi and her family took place.

Speaking to reporters outside the jail, Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, said his health remained the family’s top priority. She said Khan had told relatives during previous meetings that his eye had not fully recovered and disputed claims that his vision had improved by 90%.

Aleema Khan said senior lawyer Latif Khosa had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, in line with earlier court directives, seeking Khan’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital. She expressed concern that his other eye could also be affected.

She accused the government of rejecting doctors proposed by the family during earlier consultations and said a government-appointed medical team had instead examined him at Adiala Jail. She also said the family had not been provided a detailed medical report.

Aleema Khan alleged the government was not being transparent about her brother’s condition and reiterated demands for independent medical access and full disclosure of his health status.