Pakistan Supreme Court Orders Imran Khan Shifted To Private Hospital For Medical Examination

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan be shifted to a private hospital for a medical examination, a day after prison authorities said the 73-year-old's eyesight had returned to “almost normal”.

The court issued the direction while hearing several identical petitions filed after Khan developed an eye ailment earlier this year.

The petitioners sought hospitalisation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, saying they were not satisfied with the treatment provided at government hospitals.

Court Orders Treatment At Private Hospital

A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed directed authorities to take Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within the next few days.

“Mindful of the fundamental rights, we are issuing this order to ensure the health and safety of the prisoner,” Justice Waheed said.

Khan, a former cricketer who entered politics, has been in jail since August 2023.

Khan Underwent Eye Treatment Several Times

Khan has been taken several times to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad for treatment since his eye condition, right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), came to light in late January.

Adiala Jail authorities said Khan had received proper treatment since the condition surfaced.

He was treated at PIMS by the hospital's head of ophthalmology, Dr Muhammad Arif Khan, and Dr Nadeem Qureshi, a vitreo-retinal surgeon at Alshifa Trust Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi, according to the report.

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Jail Authorities Say Eyesight Has Improved

“Consequently, significant improvement of his eye has been noticed, and his vision returned to almost normal,” the report claimed.

The report added that the medical interventions and improvement in Khan's vision showed that the jail administration had made all-out efforts to provide him with the best healthcare facilities.