PTI objects to ‘secrecy’ after Imran Khan undergoes follow-up eye treatment at Pims – Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The PTI took exception to the government’s “secrecy” regarding ex-prime minister Imran Khan after it emerged that he underwent a follow-up eye treatment at an Islamabad hospital in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to a doctor at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Imran was brought to the hospital for a second dose of anti-VEGF intravitreal injection on February 24.
Imran’s eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January. His first medical procedure, which was carried out on January 24, was confirmed by the government five days later.
Since then, the government and the opposition have also been engaged in a blame game, with the latter accusing the former of a lack of transparency on the matter, of not ensuring appropriate treatment for Imran, and of not allowing his personal physicians access to him. The government denies these allegations.
The Pims doctor said: “Prior to the procedure, he was examined by a board of specialists: a consultant cardiologist who also performed echocardiography and ECG (result: normal) and a consultant physician.
“After obtaining informed consent, and under standard monitoring, precautionary measures and protocols in the operation theatre, he was injected with a second dose of intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF under the guidance of microscopy by consultant phthalmologist, and a consultant vitreo-retinal surgeon of Pims and Al-Shifa Eye Hospital.”
It may be mentioned that Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital is located in Rawalpindi, whereas Shifa International Hospital — where Imran’s family and personal doctors want him to be taken — is in Islamabad.
The procedure was performed as a day care surgery, the Pims doctor said about Imran’s treatment.
During the course of his stay, Imran remained vitally stable before, during, and after the procedure, and was discharged along with instructions for care, follow-up advice, and the documents, the doctor stated.
Another Pims doctor, wishing not to be quoted, told Dawn that security in the hospital was heightened on Monday night.
“At 11:30pm, Imran was brought in the hospital and he was taken back at around 1:30am,” he added.
Replying to a question, the doctor said Imran’s tests and physical examination were held to determine whether he was fit for the procedure.
“The procedure was held in the same operation theatre in which he was brought last time. After the procedure, Khan sahib was shifted to the recovery room and finally, when it was confirmed that he was stable, he was allowed to be shifted to the Adiala jail,” he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, in a post on X, said it was “necessary to clarify that the government took him (Imran) to Pims under strict security arrangements while fulfilling all legal and humanitarian requirements”.
He further said that the PTI founder would be administered a third injection on March 24.
Chaudhry stated: “According to doctors’ instructions, there was an improvement in the eyesight after the first procedure, keeping in view which expert physicians recommended a second procedure.
“Today’s process was completed successfully and after clearance from the medical team, he was shifted back to Adiala.”
The minister reaffirmed that providing prisoners with medical facilities was the state’s responsibility, adding, “Even in this matter, all arrangements were transparent and according to the regulations.”
PTI, family object to ‘clandestine actions’
Reacting to the development, the PTI’s official X account said: “The situation demands transparency, not secrecy.” The party said such “clandestine actions only give rise to more questions.”
“What are they hiding?” the party asked, reiterating its demand that Imran be taken to Shifa International Hospital for “independent and transparent medical care”.
The PTI re-shared a video showing a convoy passing through at night, in which a person can be heard saying the vehicles were “returning from Pims”.
It could not be verified whether the convoy was carrying the former premier.
In its statement, the TTAP reiterated that Imran be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, where his treatment should be conducted in the presence of his personal physicians and family members to end all concerns regarding his health.
The party added: “We further demand an immediate explanation for this irresponsible conduct. Any future actions must strictly adhere to legal requirements and fundamental rights.
“A transparent and credible mechanism must be adopted regarding the medical care of the party leader to restore public confidence.”
In her statement on X, Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum said: “We do not trust the diagnosis or test reports from government medical facilities.”
She said: “From the news, we found out that Imran Khan was taken to Pims again in the middle of the night, supposedly for his second injection in the eye.
“When the law requires that family be informed before any medical procedure is conducted on a prisoner, why was the family not informed?” she asked.
Expressing her lack of trust in the government-affiliated treatments, she claimed, “There are already reports coming from Pims that the doctors are being threatened with serious consequences if any information is leaked about Imran Khan.”
Aleema further said, “Our family rejects their reports, even if they issue these doctored reports to the public.
“We stand by our demand that Imran Khan be examined and treated in Shifa International (Islamabad) by specialists, under the supervision of Imran Khan’s personal doctors and in the presence of his family.”
She contended that Pims was “not equipped to treat anyone for the alleged condition that has developed in Imran Khan’s eye”.
“It is criminal what this government is doing, and they will be held accountable for each and every violation and crime they are committing against Imran Khan,” Aleema asserted.
Former PTI MNA Omar Ayub Khan termed it “totally unacceptable” that Imran was treated in the absence of his personal physicians.
Addressing Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, he said, “Now is the time to stand and be counted. Issue orders to ensure PM Imran Khan’s treatment in the presence of his physicians and in the hospital of his choice (Shifa International Islamabad).”
Another attempt for jail meeting
Tuesday and Thursdays are court-mandated days for Imran’s family members, lawyers and PTI leaders to meet him.
Subsequently, Imran’s sisters Aleema, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khanum headed towards Adiala jail, where Imran is incarcerated.
However, the PTI claimed they were stopped enroute by the police at Dahgal Naka.
During their visit, Noreen got hurt by “slipping and falling into a drain while going to offer prayers”, according to PTI Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza Malik.
In a post on X, Aleema questioned: “If they have nothing to hide, why are they refusing to allow us to meet our brother?
“If they have nothing to hide, and if they expect us to believe that he is receiving proper medical treatment, why are his personal doctors not being allowed to examine him?”
She contended that Imran has been “kept in solitary confinement for more than four months, with the exception of three 20-minute visits granted to our sister, Dr Uzma Khan, the last of which was on December 2, 2025”.
Opposition, family unaware of visit: TTAP
Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) Spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai, speaking to Dawn, said it was unfortunate that no one, especially Imran’s family, was aware of the hospital visit in advance.
Yousafzai said, “Just after getting the information, I contacted Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai and then Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, but both were unaware of the development.
“Then I contacted PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and asked about it but he was also unaware,” he narrated.
The TTAP spokesperson quoted Gohar as saying “let me check”, then said, “Later, he (Gohar) confirmed that Khan sahib was brought to Pims but has been shifted back to the Adiala jail.”
Yousafzai asserted that it was the right of PTI founder’s family to know about the treatment.
“Even if the law permits the government to keep it secret, the cultural traditions do not allow anyone to do what was done on Tuesday,” he argued.
He contended: “This action reflects a non-transparent approach and constitutes a clear violation of the fundamental human and legal rights of a former premier and national leader.
“Every person in custody — particularly a former prime minister — is entitled to have their family members and trusted personal doctors present during medical examinations and treatment to ensure transparency.”
In his post on X, Gohar said, “At 2am today, I was informed this much in a message that Khan sahib was brought to Pims for administering an injection.”
“I was not informed in advance,” he insisted.
The PTI chairman stressed, “Our demand even today is the same that a complete checkup and treatment of Khan sahib be performed in Shifa International Hospital in the presence of his personal doctors and family members.”
The government has said it had invited Gohar to be present during an examination of Imran at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on February 15, but the PTI leader refused, citing party consultations.
Gohar meets SC registar; TTAP protests outside court
Separately, Gohar and MNA Ali Muhammad Khan met the Supreme Court (SC) registrar and requested the early fixation of Imran’s cases pending before the court.
Gohar told the SC registrar the matter of the PTI founder’s health was “not political but humanitarian”, stressing that they have sought his access to personal physicians and family members.
The SC registrar reportedly told Gohar to submit an application seeking the early fixation of cases and assured him of the same once the plea was received.
Speaking to the media outside SC, Gohar said his party had only one demand: “Give justice to Imran.”
He emphasised, “Our request is that a treatment of his choice be provided as per the jail manual.”
Noting that the SC registrar told him to submit a plea for early fixation, Gohar said PTI lawyer Latif Khosa would file it.
“Neither we nor his family was told about the PTI founder being brought to the hospital last night,” he said, adding that he was informed after the ex-premier had been taken back to prison.
Ali Muhammad highlighted, “A former prime minister was brought and taken back in the dark of the night.
“Smugglers operate in the night; not states,” the MNA quipped.
“Our prayer is that the government report of Khan sahib recovering is true. The question is why is there so much secrecy if the report is true?” he wondered.
Meanwhile, members of the TTAP staged a protest outside the SC for a second day.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi; senators Abbas, Faisal Javed Khan and Azam Swati; and MNAs Aamir Dogar, Shandana Gulzar and Shahid Khattak were among those present.
They raised slogans calling for Imran’s release from jail.
The TTAP leaders had also protested outside SC on Monday, demanding that Imran’s cases be immediately scheduled for hearing and that he be allowed to meet his family.
