Pakistan’s political tensions deepened on Wednesday after senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed that former prime minister Imran Khan’s health had seriously deteriorated during his imprisonment in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
Speaking outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja alleged that Khan had partially lost vision in one eye due to what he described as harsh treatment in custody. Raja said the former prime minister had spent nearly 1,000 days behind bars and accused authorities of denying him basic constitutional rights.
The allegations come months after court-ordered medical examinations revealed that Khan’s right eye was functioning at only 15 percent capacity. Following the report, the Supreme Court directed prison authorities to allow Khan access to his personal doctors. Medical experts later stated that his condition had improved after a series of anti-VEGF injections administered at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Despite those medical updates, PTI leaders insist that Khan remains at risk. Raja claimed that even family members and lawyers face restrictions when trying to meet him, despite court orders allowing such visits. He also alleged that legal documents could not be properly signed because access to Khan remained limited.
The party’s frustration appears to be growing. Raja declared that PTI had exhausted legal and constitutional avenues and warned that public protests may now be the only path left for the opposition movement.
Senior lawyer Hamid Khan also criticized the legal process, saying petitions regarding prison facilities and visitation rights had either been delayed or dismissed. He questioned how justice could be served if lawyers were unable to communicate freely with their clients.
Meanwhile, Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, who is also imprisoned, has reportedly undergone medical treatment for eye-related problems, including blurred vision and headaches. She later received eye surgery in April.
Imran Khan, once Pakistan’s most popular political figure, has remained in custody since August 2023. In December 2025, he and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II case involving allegations of unlawfully retaining state gifts.
As Pakistan struggles with political unrest and economic uncertainty, the former prime minister’s health has become both a human concern and a powerful symbol in the country’s ongoing political conflict.
