• Medical report notes issues with PTI founder’s right eye
• Kasim, Sulaiman not satisfied with report, say their father is frustrated over delay in treatment
• Law minister dismisses eyesight fears; parliamentary secy insists govt ‘serious about his treatment’
• SC notes Imran ‘generally satisfied’ as Adiala admin details his living conditions
• Latif Khosa takes issue with ‘secrecy’ surrounding medical check-up

ISLAMABAD: The federal government assured the Supreme Court on Monday that PTI founder Imran Khan had spoken to his sons, and that a team of ophthalmologists has examined him.

The assurance came as the federal law minister dismissed concerns about the loss of Mr Khan’s eyesight, while a key government official insisted that the government is serious about his treatment.

Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, a two-judge SC bench had asked the federal government to ensure compliance with its earlier directions to form a medical team to examine the ex-PM, and arrange for a conversation between him and his children, Sulaiman and Kasim Khan.

But speaking to Reuters in London, the two young men said they were uncertain about the medical report.

They confirmed having spoken to their father on Thursday for the first time since September, adding that while their father usually avoids discussing his health, but during the call he expressed frustration that he had been denied treatment for a few months.

“It’s hard not to feel low at times because we’ve been away from him so long,” Mr Kasim said of his father, adding that he should be moved to a proper medical facility and have access to his private doctors.

The report further stated that a mild intragel haemorrhage was visible in his right eye. On Monday, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also attempted to allay concerns about the PTI founder’s health, saying there was “nothing as such to worry about”.

Medical report

The medical report Mr Khan’s sons were referring to, seen by Dawn, was prepared by a medical board comprising the following eye specialists examined Imran on Feb 15.

The report stated that unaided, Imran’s right eye had 6/24 partial vision and 6/9 in the left. It said that with glasses, the ex-premier’s vision was 6/9 partial in the right and 6/6 in the left.

6/6 vision means that a person can see at 6 metres what a person with normal vision can see at 6 metres. 6/9 vision means that a person can see at 6 metres what a person with normal vision can see at 9 metres.

“Moderately dense retinal haemorrhages in all four quadrants. Four to five cotton wool spots seen in different quadrants,” it said. “Resolving macular oedema seen. Foveal contour visible. Retina is attached,” it said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, oedema is swelling caused by too much fluid trapped in the body’s tissues. The macula, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is what lets a person see small details and focus on very specific aspects of what they are looking at.

In comparison, according to the report, in Imran’s left eye, the macula and periphery were “clear”, “no lattice” and the retina was attached.

Govt allays concerns

Addressing the Ferozewala Bar Assoc­iation in Shahdara, Mr Tarar referred to the “latest report that had to be submitted” regarding Imran’s health.

The minister said: “Thanks to God, the examination was carried out again on the Supreme Court’s order and there is no such thing about 35 or 25 [per cent].

“If he uses glasses for his eyesight, then one eye is approximately 70pc fine and the other eye is 6/6. There is nothing as such to worry about.”

Before commenting on Imran’s health, Tarar stressed the need to “pay attention to our national issues”.

Separately, Parliamentary Secretary Barrister Danyal Chaudhry has denied any kind of deal with Imran Khan, claiming that the latter wanted a deal and concession since day one.

“We are also ready for talks, but we will not accept any blackmail in this regard. The only reason for sending Imran Khan abroad for treatment can be that, God forbid, he may be suffering from a life-threatening disease that cannot be treated here. He can be sent abroad to save his life. However, the government will fully implement the recommendations of the medical board,” he said.

‘Imran satisfied with jail conditions’

On Monday, the government also filed a fresh application, placing on record a report prepared by the Adiala jail superintendent.

The report highlighted that Mr Khan had been given better class prison facilities, while efforts were being made by the jail administration to keep his living conditions in line with ‘Better Class’ prisoners under the jail manual.

The jail’s medical officers visited him thrice a day to check his vitals and maintain his medical record, it said, adding that a number of consultants from public tertiary care hospitals had also visited him.

“It is worth mentioning here that keeping in view the increasing population trends in Central Jail, Rawalpindi, as many as 30-35 inmates can be accommodated in the compound where the petitioner is currently housed,” the report said.

Consequently, in its written order, the SC noted that the ex-premier had “generally expressed satisfaction with the prevailing conditions of his confinement and has not raised any concerns necessitating accommodations beyond the existing level of care”.

“Both reports (friend of the court and jail superintendent) corroborate this finding and are further reinforced by the assurances provided by the attorney general for Pakistan,” the order mentioned.

Accordingly, the concerns of the SC regarding the petitioner’s living conditions in jail, as reflected in the order of Aug 24, 2023, were addressed, and that order was complied with, the court order noted.

Khosa writes to CJP

Separately, PTI leader Latif Khosa wrote to CJP Afridi, identifying himself as a counsel for the ex-premier and voicing concern over his medical examination.

He said Imran’s medical examination in “secrecy, without notice to the family or independent doctors, has given rise to serious apprehensions”.

“The continued exclusion of the petitioner’s family and personal medical practitioners from information concerning his health has created unavoidable doubts. Such secrecy not only undermines confidence in the medical process but is also causing unrest and distress among his family members, friends and supporters,” the letter said.

Meanwhile, Mr Khan’s long-time physician, Dr Aasim Yusuf, said he had spoken to two Islamabad-based eye specialists treating the former premier, along with an expert from Lahore.

He said the doctors reported significant improvement in Imran’s vision following treatment, but added that he could not independently verify the claim as he had not examined him.

Dr Yusuf urged authorities to allow him, Dr Faisal Sultan and family-nominated physicians access to Imran, and called for his treatment at Shifa International Hospital.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026