ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has informed that he has been left with only 15% vision in his right eye, according to a medical report submitted to the Supreme Court.
“According to the Petitioner [Imran], he was diagnosed with a blood clot that caused severe damage, and despite the treatment administered [including an injection], he has been left with only 15% vision in his right eye,” stated a seven-page report submitted by PTI counsel Salman Safdar regarding his visit to Adiala jail.
The court had appointed Safdar as amicus curiae (friend of the court), directing him to meet the incarcerated former prime minister and submit a report on February 11.
The PTI founder was recently shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) for an eye procedure, with the former ruling party saying neither his family nor party leadership was informed of the treatment.
According to the report — a copy of which is available with Geo News, Imran emphasised that, despite being 73 years of age and engaged in litigation on multiple fronts, he had never previously raised issues relating to his personal health. “However, this concern of his was neither taken seriously nor addressed by the relevant jail authorities.”
“The petitioner [Imran] informed that approximately three to four months earlier, until October 2025, he had normal 6 x 6 vision in both eyes,” it stated.
He then began experiencing “persistent blurred and hazy vision, which he repeatedly reported to the then jail superintendent. However, no action was taken by the jail authorities to address these complaints, the report stated.
The jailed PTI founder told “friend of the court” that he subsequently suffered a sudden and complete loss of vision in his right eye. An ophthalmologist from Pims, Dr Muhammad Arif, examined him and diagnosed a blood clot that caused significant damage.
Barrister Safdar, in his report, maintained that during the meeting, he personally observed that Imran appeared “visibly perturbed and deeply distressed by the loss of vision and the absence of timely and specialised medical intervention.”
“Throughout the meeting, the Petitioner’s [Imran] eyes were watery, and he repeatedly used a tissue to wipe them, reflecting physical discomfort.”
According to the report, Imran said that for nearly three months, the only treatment he received consisted of eye drops, which “failed to improve his condition and ultimately led to a major impairment of vision in his right eye.”
Additionally, Imran noted that despite being 73 years old and requiring dental consultation, no dentist had examined or treated him over the past two years, despite repeated requests.
The PTI founder told Safdar that his personal physicians, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yusuf, had previously been allowed access; however, repeated requests for medical consultations were ignored.
During the meeting, Imran maintained that, given his age, he requires regular blood tests, which were also not conducted.
‘Meeting with family, counsel’
The PTI founder has alleged that he has been denied access to his legal counsel and immediate family members while in custody.
As per details presented in court, the PTI founder informed that numerous criminal cases are registered against him, with some at the bail stage, others at the trial stage, and several at the appellate stage. He stated that for the past five months, he has not been permitted to meet his lead counsel or other members of his legal team.
As a result, he contended that he has been unable to obtain updates on his cases or provide necessary legal instructions.
In addition to concerns over legal access, the PTI founder also expressed disappointment over restrictions on family meetings. He said that members of his immediate family and blood relatives, including his sisters, have not been allowed to meet him, despite concerns regarding his health and well-being.
Imran said that only after a recent change in the office of the Superintendent of Jail was he permitted to meet his wife. Imran added that he is now allowed to meet her once a week, every Tuesday, for approximately 30 minutes.
The PTI founder also claimed that despite multiple applications, requests, and court orders, he was allowed to speak by telephone with his sons, Qasim and Suleman, residing in the United Kingdom, on only two occasions during 2025.
