Jailed former PM Imran Khan diagnosed with vision-threatening eye disease in prison

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been diagnosed with a serious eye condition known as central retinal vein occlusion while serving his sentence at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Medical experts consulted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the political party Khan founded and led, have described the condition as extremely sensitive and potentially blinding if not treated promptly and by qualified ophthalmologists. According to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Khan’s access to appropriate care remains limited despite repeated legal efforts, physician alerts, and public statements warning of irreversible damage to his eyesight.

Central retinal vein occlusion is a condition in which the primary vein responsible for draining blood from the retina becomes blocked. If untreated, this blockage can result in a build-up of pressure and fluid within the retina, causing vision distortion or permanent loss. Khan, who is 73 years old and has been in custody since August 2023, was diagnosed by medical experts who examined him inside Adiala Jail. According to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the specialists conveyed that the former prime minister must be moved to a medical facility equipped with the resources needed for advanced ophthalmologic procedures.

Despite this, prison authorities have continued to insist that any required treatment should be carried out inside the jail. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf maintains that such a position ignores clinical best practices and jeopardizes the health of a high-profile detainee. The party has accused the administration of denying Khan not only appropriate care but also regular access to his personal physician, a right it says has already been upheld by the Islamabad High Court.

Khan’s last documented examination by his personal doctor occurred in October 2024. Since then, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has claimed, all efforts to schedule further medical access have either been blocked or ignored. This includes a formal petition submitted in August 2025 seeking a court directive to allow regular medical evaluations. That petition remains pending without resolution, raising further concerns about whether the judiciary’s orders are being observed within the prison system.

Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, a major medical institution founded by Imran Khan, also released a public statement calling for independent access to the former prime minister. The hospital requested that its physicians be allowed to examine and potentially co-manage his care. According to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the refusal to allow independent medical review contradicts standard protocols applied in cases involving serious non-communicable conditions.

Family members and legal representatives of the former prime minister have also reportedly been denied in-person meetings for several weeks. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has framed this as a violation of Khan’s constitutional rights and a potential obstruction of legal counsel. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, a senior party official and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said that despite court-approved visitation rights, neither family members nor lawyers have been granted consistent access. He further stated that Khan remains in solitary confinement and incommunicado, despite Islamabad High Court orders that allow contact under specific provisions.

A medical team from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences reportedly conducted an internal evaluation of Imran Khan’s condition following public and political pressure. According to government sources cited in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf statements, this team confirmed the presence of central retinal vein occlusion, although an official report has not yet been released by the authorities. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf maintains that despite this internal diagnosis, the prison administration continues to resist a hospital transfer or the involvement of outside physicians.

The delay in publicly releasing the findings of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences team has added to growing criticism of transparency and accountability in Khan’s case. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has stated that any delay in treatment risks transforming a clinically manageable condition into a permanent disability. According to the party, several senior physicians have concluded that hospital-based interventions are urgently needed to prevent long-term impairment of Khan’s vision.

The party has used public forums, including media briefings and social media channels, to reiterate its call for urgent intervention. The argument being advanced is not solely based on political grievance but centers on healthcare access within Pakistan’s correctional system. While the government has not issued a detailed rebuttal, the lack of an official timeline for treatment has drawn criticism from both legal experts and political analysts monitoring developments from within Pakistan and abroad.

Protests by party supporters have taken place outside Adiala Jail since the health reports became public. Demonstrators have demanded both transparency regarding the former prime minister’s medical condition and immediate compliance with judicial orders. In the broader political context, the issue has become another flashpoint in Pakistan’s ongoing struggle over the legal treatment of political leaders and access to institutional recourse.

No statements have been released by the Punjab Prisons Department or the Ministry of Interior that confirm when, or if, Imran Khan will be transferred to an external hospital. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has also not commented on the findings of its internal team or provided clarification regarding next steps. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has said it will continue to pursue legal remedies to ensure medical oversight and is demanding that Khan be allowed to choose a hospital with the necessary expertise to handle advanced retinal cases.

This development underscores continued institutional tensions between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the current government, particularly over issues of access, judicial compliance, and detainee rights. In recent months, Imran Khan’s imprisonment and legal challenges have become central to the political landscape in Pakistan, with healthcare access now emerging as a key point of contention.

The combination of a serious medical diagnosis, lack of treatment transparency, and court orders pending implementation has intensified scrutiny on how the state is handling the health and legal rights of its most high-profile political prisoner. As the medical condition progresses without external treatment, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf continues to frame the matter not only as a healthcare issue but also as a test of institutional integrity.

Why Imran Khan’s medical condition in custody could carry broader legal and political consequences in Pakistan

The reported diagnosis of central retinal vein occlusion in the case of Imran Khan, if not addressed through proper medical protocols, may evolve from a clinical issue to a broader legal crisis. The party’s framing of the condition as both preventable and treatable if addressed on time introduces legal questions about liability, neglect, and access to healthcare under Pakistan’s prison regulations.

Central retinal vein occlusion typically requires advanced intervention, often including intravitreal injections, retinal imaging, and potential laser therapy, none of which are available in standard correctional environments. Prison-based care is not designed to handle such specialized ophthalmologic conditions, a point that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has emphasized in its appeals.

Moreover, the Islamabad High Court’s earlier ruling allowing access to Khan’s personal doctor remains unfulfilled, raising procedural and legal questions. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s pending August 2025 petition seeking routine medical access underscores concerns about whether due process rights are being upheld. If this petition is delayed further or denied without hearing, it could become a flashpoint for legal reform discussions in Pakistan.

Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital’s involvement is intended to neutralize any claims of political bias in medical diagnosis and reinforces the party’s argument for clinical objectivity. The lack of response from both the Punjab Prisons Department and the Ministry of Interior may be interpreted by observers as institutional silence amid a potentially avoidable health deterioration.

This development also highlights the limitations of in-prison medical care for chronic or non-communicable diseases, especially when concerning aging detainees or high-risk individuals. With Khan’s health now becoming a point of national and international attention, Pakistan’s handling of this matter may influence not only domestic legal debates but also the country’s broader reputation regarding the rights of political detainees.

Key takeaways on what this development means for Pakistan’s political and legal context

• Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, with medical experts warning of possible irreversible vision loss if not treated externally.

• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has demanded immediate hospital transfer and cited the lack of specialised ophthalmologic equipment and facilities in Adiala Jail.

• Despite an existing Islamabad High Court order and a pending petition filed in August 2025, Imran Khan has not been granted access to his personal physician since October 2024.

• A medical team from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has examined Khan, but its findings have not been made public and no hospital transfer has been approved.

• The situation has heightened institutional tensions in Pakistan over prison healthcare, legal rights of political prisoners, and the enforcement of court-mandated detainee protections.