Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has confirmed on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan underwent a medical procedure for an eye ailment last week at a hospital in Islamabad.
Speaking to a private media outlet, Tarar said that Khan, who is imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on the night of January 24 for a “20-minute” procedure.
“Eye experts examined him in Adiala jail, after which they recommended that it was necessary to take him to PIMS for a small medical process.
Last Saturday night, he was taken to PIMS on the recommendation of the eye doctors and experts,” the minister said.
Imran’s eyes were further examined at PIMS, Tarrar went on to explain, and after providing written consent, the procedure was performed. He was then returned to Adiala Jail with “important instructions.”
The minister added, “During the medical procedure, his vitals and everything were stable. He’s absolutely healthy.”
Tarar also stressed that “all prisoners” have access to medical care when required and said Khan’s visit to PIMS followed medical advice.
“He is absolutely fine, and he was also perfectly fine when this medical procedure was being performed,” he said.
The development comes after PTI raised concerns about Khan’s health. On Tuesday, the party said it had received credible reports that Khan had been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in his right eye, a condition that could lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly.
PTI cited medical experts who reportedly examined Khan, describing the condition as “extremely serious” and urging that proper care be provided.
Adding to the concerns, Khan’s son wrote on X that his father “has now spent over 900 days in a death cell with no family visits and no access to his personal doctors. Credible reports confirm he has been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion, a dangerous blockage that can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated through urgent medical intervention in a proper hospital. Yet authorities continue to block his treatment and deny him the doctors he trusts. I am even denied the right to speak to him. This is not governance. This is authoritarian cruelty. I call on every defender of human rights to act before it is too late. The world must see that in Pakistan today, democracy is hollow and basic human rights are being crushed.”