Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly witnessed a heated session this week as opposition lawmakers demanded urgent medical treatment for jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, reviving national attention on both his eye condition and the ongoing calls for his release. The scenes in the assembly capture months of unresolved tension between PTI, the government, and Pakistan’s courts over Khan’s health and imprisonment.
Background
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister and ex-captain of the national cricket team that won the 1992 World Cup, has been in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since August 2023. He is currently serving a 14-year sentence in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, with an additional 17-year sentence handed down in December 2025 over a separate case involving state gifts.
Khan’s eye condition first came to public attention in late January 2026, when he was diagnosed with right central retinal vein occlusion, a condition that can cause swelling and vision loss if left untreated. He was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad for an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection after the diagnosis, beginning a months-long saga over where and how he should be treated.
Details
Imran Khan’s Eye Condition Today
Khan has undergone multiple rounds of treatment at PIMS since January, including a fourth intravitreal injection administered in late April. Medical reports submitted to the Supreme Court have offered conflicting pictures of his progress: one update in February described swelling in the macula subsiding, with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stating Khan had normal vision in one eye and roughly 70 percent vision in the other with glasses.
However, PTI counsel Salman Safdar told the Supreme Court in February that Khan himself reported his right eye functioning at only 15 percent capacity following the PIMS procedure. More recently, jail authorities informed the apex court that Khan’s eye condition had improved significantly and was now “almost normal,” a claim PTI has continued to dispute given the lack of independent verification from Khan’s own chosen physicians.
Why the Assembly Is Demanding Treatment
The dispute over Khan’s medical care escalated further this week when opposition lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly staged a vociferous protest, accusing the government of disregarding his health. PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the assembly that Khan had been unwell for around 10 months and questioned why authorities weren’t taking the concerns seriously, warning that public trust in the courts was at stake.
PTI and Khan’s family have consistently demanded that he be treated at Shifa International Hospital, a private facility in Islamabad, under the supervision of his personal physicians, Dr. Asim Yousuf and Dr. Khurram Mirza. The government has maintained that treatment at PIMS meets all legal and humanitarian requirements, with officials stating the Chief Justice of Pakistan is personally monitoring the case.
Letter for Imran Khan and Ongoing Legal Appeals
Khan’s legal team has continued submitting formal appeals and letters to Pakistan’s Supreme Court regarding both his medical treatment and broader detention conditions. Advocate Salman Safdar has filed court-mandated reports after meeting Khan in Adiala Jail, while the family has separately petitioned for expanded visitation rights, citing restrictions that have limited their access to him for extended periods.
Rehai News: Is Imran Khan Being Released?
Despite periodic viral claims suggesting Khan has been granted bail or released, no such release has occurred as of this month. Fact-checking organizations have repeatedly debunked circulating videos, including one from August 2026 that used old footage from a 2023 court appearance to falsely claim Khan had secured “bail in all cases” and was “completely free.” Khan remains in custody at Adiala Jail.
Khan marked three years in detention on August 5, 2026, an anniversary observed with nationwide PTI protests calling for his immediate release. Amnesty International issued a statement around the same time condemning what it described as prolonged solitary confinement and restricted access to medical care and family visits.
Quotes
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said following one hospital visit that the party’s core concern remained unanswered, referring to demands that Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, be moved to a hospital for treatment under the supervision of their own doctors and in the presence of family members.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry pushed back on accusations of negligence, stating that the government had made all arrangements transparently and that providing medical facilities to prisoners remained a responsibility the state took seriously.
Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia, Isabelle Lassee, said Pakistani authorities had systematically denied Khan a fair trial and subjected him to prolonged solitary confinement, adding that he had not been allowed to meet his family for more than eight months and that his vision had reportedly deteriorated significantly.
Impact
The dispute over Khan’s health has become a significant flashpoint in Pakistan’s broader political landscape, drawing attention from international rights organizations and intensifying pressure on the judiciary to act decisively on his pending appeals. Analysts note that as long as Khan is viewed as a serious political challenger, there is limited incentive within the state for a swift resolution that could pave the way for his return to active politics.
The situation has also renewed scrutiny of prison healthcare standards in Pakistan more broadly. Human rights groups argue that Khan’s case points to systemic gaps in how medical emergencies are handled for high-profile detainees, regardless of political affiliation.
Conclusion
With the Supreme Court continuing to monitor Khan’s medical situation and PTI maintaining pressure through assembly protests and public demonstrations, the coming weeks are likely to bring further updates on both his treatment and his broader legal appeals. Whether the mounting pressure translates into a shift in his hospital arrangements, or any movement on his underlying legal cases, remains to be seen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Imran Khan’s health now?
According to the most recent report submitted to Pakistan’s Supreme Court by jail authorities, Imran Khan’s eye condition has improved significantly and is now described as “almost normal.” However, PTI and Khan’s family continue to dispute these assessments, saying they lack confidence in reports not verified by his personal physicians, who have not been granted regular access to examine him independently. The overall picture remains contested, with government and prison authorities describing steady improvement while PTI insists Khan’s condition is more serious than officially acknowledged.
Why has Imran Khan been jailed?
Imran Khan has been in custody since August 2023 and is currently serving a 14-year sentence handed down in the Al-Qadir Trust case, which centers on allegations that he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, received improper benefits tied to a corruption scheme involving a property trust. In December 2025, he received an additional 17-year sentence in a separate case involving state gifts. Khan and his supporters maintain that all charges against him are politically motivated attempts to keep him out of active politics, a claim the government has consistently denied, while several international rights organizations have described aspects of his prosecution as lacking due process.
What has happened to Imran Khan’s eyes?
Imran Khan was diagnosed with right central retinal vein occlusion in late January 2026, a condition where a blood clot blocks a vein in the retina, potentially causing swelling and vision loss if not properly managed. He has since undergone multiple anti-VEGF intravitreal injections at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences to treat the swelling, with medical reports offering mixed accounts of his recovery. While official reports describe substantial improvement, his legal team has previously told the Supreme Court that Khan reported significantly reduced vision in the affected eye following treatment, and his family continues to push for treatment overseen by his own chosen specialists.
