Concerns have emerged in recent days about the health of Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned.
The Lahore-based Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital, named after Khan’s mother, issued the first statement.
“Reports suggest Imran Khan may be suffering from central retinal vein occlusion. Although we cannot independently verify this, we are deeply concerned and request that a team from Shaukat Khanum Hospital be granted immediate access to participate in his care,” the hospital statement said.
However, federal authorities prevented the Shaukat Khanum Hospital team from seeing Imran Khan in prison.
As concerning reports about Imran Khan’s health began to surface, senior leaders of his party revealed that the former prime minister was brought to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad for treatment under cover of the night. They said that neither his family members nor any party officials were informed about the move.
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The absence of a timely response from any government official caused concern among Khan’s family and party workers across the country.
On Thursday, however, Pakistan’s information minister confirmed that Imran Khan was brought to Islamabad’s PIMS Hospital for eye treatment and returned to jail afterward, where his health was reported to be stable.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf immediately renewed its demand for unhindered access to his personal physician, while a Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court issued notices to the government seeking information about medical examinations of the former prime minister and his wife.
Following the statement by the federal information minister, PIMS Hospital also issued a press release, which said a “senior and trained ophthalmologist at Adiala Jail conducted a comprehensive eye examination of Imran Khan. Based on this examination, he was diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, and hospital treatment was recommended.”
The statement said Imran Khan was brought to PIMS Hospital for treatment during the night between Saturday and Sunday.
Prior to the operation, the hospital stated the former prime minister gave informed consent, having been fully briefed on the treatment.
According to PIMS officials, the procedure was carried out in accordance with standard protocol in the operating theater and took approximately 20 minutes.
The statement added that Khan remained stable throughout the treatment and was discharged afterward with appropriate post-treatment precautions.