PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan underwent an eye examination at Adiala jail on Sunday following a Supreme Court order, a process the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called “malicious” and questioned the exclusion of his family and personal doctors.A five-person medical team conducted detailed examinations for about an hour, news website Dawn reported. Doctors took his blood samples, measured his blood pressure and brought their own equipment. The process reportedly began after a two-and-a-half-hour wait and a report is expected to be compiled soon.Soon after the examination concluded at around 5.30 pm, PTI issued a statement on X rejecting the surgery and objecting to the absence of Imran’s family and personal doctors.“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf categorically rejects the recent move by the government and the prison administration to conduct a medical examination of the eyes of former prime minister Imran Khan in Adiala jail. The government’s claim that it has sent a message to the party leadership to reach the jail at the time of the examination is actually a crude attempt to divert attention from the core issue,” the party said.Explaining its objections, the statement added, “This matter has never been a matter of the party leadership’s absence. On such a sensitive and delicate medical matter, the constitutional, moral and legal decision-making power belongs to Imran Khan’s family. The family cannot take an informed decision until Imran Khan’s personal doctor is present for examination. Therefore, there is neither any moral justification nor any legal basis for a symbolic invitation to the party leadership.”“Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum also said that she would not accept any medical board without the approval of his personal doctor. Referring to reports that Imran Khan may be shifted to Al Shifa Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi, she reiterated, “Our demands have been clear from the beginning. No treatment should be given without the presence and approval of Imran Khan’s personal doctors and family members.”She further said, “We do not accept any medical committee they have set up and controlled! We do not accept any reports or results they produce.”Questioning the exclusion of family members and doctors recommended by Imran Khan’s team, she asked: “Why did they refuse the supervision of Imran Khan’s personal doctor? Why did they refuse the appearance of Imran Khan’s family? Why such a fierce boycott? Are they hiding something?”The examination was conducted after the Supreme Court directed the formation of a medical committee to assess Imran’s condition. The order came after he claimed on February 12 that he retained only 15% vision in his right eye. The court also gave him until February 16 to talk to the children.Although government officials said Saturday that Imran might be transferred to a hospital, no transfer had occurred by Sunday afternoon. At 3:45 p.m., his sister Noreen Khanum said an ambulance arrived at the prison to pick him up.“But it is unacceptable to us if we and Mr Khan’s personal doctor cannot be trusted,” she said.The prison director dismissed reports of the transfer as “rumors” and clarified that only medical examinations were being carried out.“The medical team will examine Imran’s eyes, conduct different tests and decide if he needs to be transferred to a hospital or if he can be kept in prison and continue to receive treatment here,” the official said.Imran had earlier undergone a medical procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad on the evening of January 24, a development that was later confirmed with limited information shared with the family.Imran’s personal doctors Asim Yusuf and Faisal Sultan also called for a comprehensive evaluation at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, news agency PTI reported citing Dawn.“In addition to providing urgent retinal specialist care for Imran Khan’s central retinal vein occlusion and severe vision loss, Imran Khan also required a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment of his underlying condition at a tertiary care hospital such as Shifa International Hospital Islamabad,” they said in a joint video statement.Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan (TTAP) alliance continued its sit-in at the Parliament House for a third day, demanding that Imran receive treatment at a hospital of his personal doctor’s choice.PTI MNA Asad Qaiser told reporters, “We will not compromise on Imran’s health.”A TTAP leader said the initial understanding to transfer Imran to Shifa International broke down due to demands for a change in the composition of the medical board. The coalition also claimed that access to food, water and medicine was blocked inside the Capitol for the third day in a row.The coalition described the reported denial of medical care to Senator Abbas as an “extreme and reprehensible act” and said, “Putting any political differences ahead of human compassion and medical needs is the worst form of oppression.”TTAP vowed to continue the protests, saying: “History proves that brutal machinations, sieges and repression have never suppressed movements or forced staunch right-wingers to abandon their demands.”The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed serious concern over the health of PTI-affiliated prisoners, particularly Imran Khan and Yasmeen Rashid, and urged authorities to ensure immediate independent medical examination and uninterrupted access to treatment.
