ISLAMABAD — Imran Khan, Pakistan’s incarcerated former prime minister and most consequential political figure of the past decade, is facing a rapidly escalating health crisis behind bars that could leave him with permanent vision loss, his party warns, even as the government insists his condition is stable. The episode has added fresh fuel to deep political polarisation in Pakistan, raising serious human‑rights concerns and prompting renewed domestic and international scrutiny.

Serious Eye Condition, PTI Warns Of Permanent Vision Loss:

According to Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI), Khan, 73, has been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in his right eye, a dangerous blockage of the retinal vein that medical experts say requires urgent specialist care to prevent permanent damage or blindness. His party says he is already experiencing blurred vision and that jail authorities have denied access to his personal doctors and proper treatment options.

PTI spokespersons and aides have described the situation as “grave danger” to Khan’s health and have demanded his transfer to a hospital with full facilities, including his choice of specialists such as those from Shaukat Khanum Hospital, which PTI cites as a trusted institution. They argue that the jail infirmary and onsite care are inadequate for managing a condition of this severity.

Allegations Of Medical Neglect And Isolation:

PTI leaders have repeatedly accused the administration of willfully obstructing access to Khan by family, lawyers and his personal medical team, in violation of court orders. The party says they have been denied visits for over 100 days, despite an Islamabad High Court mandate that he be allowed meetings twice weekly. Attempts to enforce this order have reportedly been met with rejection by the authorities.

Family members and PTI figures have staged demonstrations outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, demanding access and transparency. These protests have occasionally been met with teargas and water cannon, intensifying the political drama.

Khan’s sister, Noreen Niazi, has publicly questioned why the family was not informed about his medical treatment if reports were legitimate, labelling the secrecy “a blatant crime” and demanding that full medical records be made public. She issued an ultimatum, warning that “if even the slightest harm comes to Imran Khan’s eye… no one else’s eyes will remain safe.”

Government Response: Brief Hospital Procedure And Routine Care.

The government has acknowledged that Khan was taken out of prison for a brief nighttime medical procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on January 24, describing it as a routine referral by jail doctors. According to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, the examination lasted about 20 minutes, and Khan’s vitals were stable throughout. He was returned to Adiala Jail the same night.

Tarar insisted that all prisoners, including Khan, have access to necessary medical care as per jail regulations, and reiterated that Khan is “absolutely healthy.” The minister framed the PTI’s concerns as the politicisation of routine prison medical procedures and dismissed suggestions of a cover-up.

Political Fallout And Legal Battles Intensify:

The fissure between PTI and the government has deepened. PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan and leaders such as Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas have publicly condemned the lack of transparency, calling for immediate family access and full disclosure of Khan’s treatment and diagnosis. They argue that withholding such information erodes public confidence in the government’s credibility and could have severe political repercussions.

Senior jailed PTI leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Omar Safraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, have written to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, urging direct judicial intervention to ensure Khan receives appropriate specialist care. Their open letter described CRVO as an extremely serious condition that, if unmanaged, could produce permanent vision loss.

Meanwhile, a fresh petition by PTI members before the Islamabad High Court seeking enforced contact with Khan was reportedly rejected on procedural grounds, with a judge saying the petitioners lacked standing, further aggravating tensions.

Wider Context: Imprisonment, Polarisation And Power Struggles.

Khan has been in jail since August 2023, after being removed from office in 2022 through a no-confidence vote and subsequently convicted on multiple charges that he and his supporters assert are politically motivated. These include corruption convictions in the Toshakhana and Al‑Qadir Trust cases, cumulatively resulting in long prison terms for him and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

The ongoing dispute over his health care comes amid a broader backdrop of political unrest in Pakistan, with PTI supporters alleging targeted persecution of their leader and erosion of democratic norms. The government, for its part, maintains that the rule of law is being upheld and has rejected claims of mistreatment, accusing the PTI of exploiting Khan’s health to galvanise political support.

Human Rights, International Scrutiny And Future Implications:

Human‑rights advocates warn that denying an elderly prisoner access to independent medical evaluation and adequate treatment could breach international standards for detainee care. With Khan’s case drawing attention from foreign governments and observers, calls for independent monitoring and transparency are gaining traction.

Whether Pakistan’s judiciary will intervene decisively or whether political pressures will shape Khan’s fate remains uncertain. But as rivals trade accusations and the nation watches closely, Imran Khan’s health has become both a humanitarian and a high-stakes political flashpoint in an already volatile landscape.