‘Nothing to worry about’: Law minister allays concerns over Imran’s vision loss – Pakistan
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday allayed concerns over PTI founder Imran Khan’s vision loss, saying that there was “nothing as such to worry about”.
The statement comes days after the Supreme Court (SC) was informed that Imran had only 15pc vision left in his right eye, prompting the apex court to form a medical team to examine him before February 16 (today).
Subsequently, a team of five doctors arrived at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Sunday, where the ex-premier is incarcerated, and carried out a detailed eye examination, took blood samples and checked his blood pressure. However, the PTI rejected the check-up conducted without his family and personal physicians.
Addressing Bar Association Ferozewala in Punjab’s Shahdara on Monday, Tarar referred to the “latest report that had to be submitted” regarding Imran’s health.
The minister added that he discussed it with Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan and the “relevant” individuals before coming to the bar association.
Tarar stated: “They said thanks to God, the examination was carried out again on the Supreme Court’s order and there is no such thing about 35 or 25 [per cent].
“If he uses glasses for his eyesight, then one eye is approximately 70pc fine and the other eye is 6/6. There is nothing as such to worry about.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, having 6/6 vision or 20/20 vision means you see the world with normal clarity and sharpness.
Before commenting on Imran’s health, Tarar stressed the need to “pay attention to our national issues”.
“We took difficult financial decisions, but the fruits of those can be seen now,” he stated, asserting that Pakistan was now “performing way better economically”.
The law minister stressed that political stability was crucial for economic stability. “There is a lot of noise these days that what is about happen and what has been done to the PTI founder,” he noted.
Addressing the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Tarar said it was the “first time that a government was taking official measures to deprive the citizens of their rights”.
He then referred to the blockades of major roads and KP’s entry and exit points by PTI protests, which have cut off the province from the rest of the country.
“Article 15 [of the Constitution] allows freedom of movement, but the blockage of motorways and GT Road on the official level is unconstitutional,” the law minister pointed out.
He expressed the hope that the PTI would “rectify” the situation itself after looking at the latest report. “Otherwise, the federal government will have to take some action,” Tarar warned.
He further said it was the responsibility of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, as well as the Senate and National Assembly opposition leaders, to “ensure that the KP government adheres to the Constitution”.
Imran’s physician urges authorities to allow access
Meanwhile, Imran’s long-time personal physician Dr Aasim Yusuf released a video statement, saying that last night he spoke on the telephone to the two Islamabad-based eye doctors who were treating the ex-premier for his eye condition.
He said he asked his colleague, Dr Khurram Azam Mirza, a Lahore-based retinal specialist, to join the phone call.
Dr Yusuf said that the phone call lasted 40 minutes, during which the doctors provided a background of when they first examined Imran, what his symptoms were, details of the treatment prescribed and what the future treatment plan.
“Their latest assessment was yesterday afternoon … they told us that, in their view, Imran had shown significant improvement as a result of treatment and his vision had improved significantly as well,” he said.
“I would be extremely happy if I was able to confirm that this was the case. Unfortunately, because I have not seen him myself and have not been able to participate in his care or talk to him, I am unable to either confirm or deny the veracity of what we have been told,” he said.
Dr Yusuf appealed to the authorities to allow him or Dr Faisal Sultan, ideally both of them, and physicians nominated by Imran’s family to examine the ex-premier and participate in his care.
He also called for Imran to be treated at the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, saying that it was “appropriately equipped and of a suitable standard” for treating the PTI founder.
CRVO in Imran’s right eye
Imran underwent a medical procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad on the night of January 24 — a development confirmed days later amid an apparent lack of knowledge by the family.
Advocate Salman Safdar, who was appointed amicus curiae and met Imran at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on February 10, last week submitted a seven-page report to the SC regarding Imran’s living conditions in the prison.
In his report, Safdar quoted Imran as telling him that “despite the treatment administered (including an injection), he has been left with only 15pc vision in his right eye”.
Imran told Safdar that approximately “three to four months earlier, until October 2025, he had normal 6/6 vision in both eyes”.
While his personal physicians Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yusuf had previously been permitted access, “despite repeated requests and a deteriorating ocular condition, no such access was allowed during the relevant period”, the ex-premier was quoted as saying.
A medical report dated February 6 — signed by Pims Executive Director Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikander and addressed to the Adiala jail administration — was also submitted to the SC.
It stated that a qualified ophthalmologist from Pims conducted a complete eye assessment at Adiala jail of Imran and a “diagnosis of right central retinal vein occlusion was made”.
This was then followed by Imran undergoing medical treatment at Pims.
The ex-premier’s family and the PTI have been demanding that he be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for a comprehensive check-up, with the opposition even staging a sit-in at Parliament House for the past four days.
