Imran Khan's Party Moves Pak's Top Court, Seeks Shift Him to Private Hospital
The development comes a day after Khan was taken to a government hospital at Islamabad for treating his eye ailment even as his party demanded "transparency, not secrecy" about his health updates
Islamabad: Incarcerated former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court seeking to move him from jail to a private hospital for his eye treatment. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed the petition following a health assessment report prepared by barrister Salman Safdar at the court's direction earlier this month.
The development comes a day after Khan was taken to a government hospital at Islamabad for treating his eye ailment even as his party demanded "transparency, not secrecy" about his health updates.
The 73-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, who has been at the Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, since 2023, was last month diagnosed with right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) affecting his vision.
"The petitioner be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, for proper treatment of his eyes from a retina specialist," the petition, filed by PTI lawyer and leader Latif Khosa, said.
It also sought access to Khan by his personal physicians while allowing the family to remain present during his medical examinations and treatment.
The petition described Khan, 73, as being in declining health and said his condition was a matter of serious concern for both his family and the public.
It added that he had repeatedly sought access to his personal doctors for independent examination and treatment of his deteriorating eye condition.
The petitioner also stated Khan's legal counsel be provided with attested copies of all medical reports and examinations, while ensuring regular access for his lawyer to consult him on legal issues.
On Tuesday, Khan was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) at Islamabad for a second dose of anti-VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor) intravitreal injection. He was later shifted back to the Adiala Jail. He had received treatment earlier on January 24.
PIMS is a leading public hospital, while Rawalpindi-based Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital is run by a private trust.
Soon after, Khan's family and the PTI demanded "transparency, not secrecy" in his treatment and reiterated their call for him to be shifted to Shifa International Hospital.
Khan has been in prison since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in the Al-Qadir Trust case of corruption, while facing pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act linked to protests on May 9, 2023.