• Bench appears satisfied with PTI founder’s living conditions; asks authorities to arrange calls with his children
• Ex-PM says vision significantly reduced in right eye, accuses jail administration of neglect

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the formation of a medical team to examine incarcerated PTI chief Imran Khan after a report submitted by his lawyer, Salman Safdar, revealed that the former prime minister had lost 85 per cent of the vision in his right eye.

The two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, also directed that the PTI leader be allowed to speak to his children, saying the telephone call and the medical examination must be conducted by Monday (Feb 16).

“The issue of Imran’s health is most important,” CJP Afridi observed, adding that “intervention was necessary”.

“We want to know the government’s stance on the matter of his (Imran’s) health,” the top judge said, at which Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan affirmed that it was the state’s responsibility to provide medical facilities.

“If the prisoner is not satisfied, then the state will take measures,” AGP Awan added.

CJP Afridi then noted that the issue of Mr Khan’s “telephone calls with his children is also important”.

“We are trusting the government. The government is in a good mood today,” he remarked.

Salman Safdar, who was appointed amicus curiae and met Imran Khan in jail on Tuesday, submitted a seven-page report to the SC regarding Mr Khan’s living conditions in prison.

In his report, seen by Dawn, Mr Safdar quoted the ex-PM as saying that “despite the treatment administered (including an injection), he has been left with only 15pc vision in his right eye”.

According to Mr Safdar, approximately “three to four months earlier, until October 2025, he had normal 6x6 vision in both eyes”. He then began experiencing persistent blurred and hazy vision, which he repeatedly reported to the then jail superintendent, but “no action was taken by the jail authorities”.

“[Imran] stated that he subsequently suffered a sudden and complete loss of vision in his right eye, following which an ophthalmologist from Pims Hospital, Dr Muhammad Arif, was called to examine him.”

“According to [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 15pc vision in his right eye.”

Mr Safdar said the PTI leader “personally observed that the petitioner 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 eyes were watery, and he repeatedly used a tissue to wipe them, reflecting physical discomfort,” the lawyer recalled.

However, during the hearing, the SC dismissed the request to have the PTI leader’s eye examined in the presence of family members.

On the request to provide some books to the PTI founder, AGP Awan said it would be done after consultation with eye doctors.

Recalling that the SC had received reports from Mr Safdar and the Adiala jail superintendent, CJP Afridi said: “Most of the things in both reports are similar — the place is good, the facilities are fine.”

Noting that the issue of meetings with his family members was pending before the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the top judge said it would be appropriate for the relevant forum to decide on that.

Mr Safdar further quoted Mr Khan as claiming that “regular and periodic blood tests” were not conducted. While his personal physicians, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yusuf, had previously been permitted access, “despite repeated requests and a deteriorating ocular condition, no such access was allowed during the relevant period”, the ex-premier was quoted as saying.

“[Imran] stated that for nearly thr­ee months, the only treatment administered consisted of eye drops, which resulted in no improvement and was followed by a major impairment of vision in his right eye,” he said.

The PTI leader also claimed that “despite being 73 years old and requiring dental consultation, no dentist had examined or treated him over the past two years, notwithstanding repeated requests”.

According to Safdar, the PTI chief told him about a “rapid and substantial loss of vision over the preceding three months while he was living and detained under the ‘care and custody’ of Abdul Ghafoor Anjum”, the jail superintendent.

“This concern of his was neither taken seriously nor addressed by the relevant jail authorities,” he was informed. Upon inquiry, the jail staff informed the lawyer that Mr Anjum had been transferred on Jan 16, 2026, and replaced by Sajid Baig.

Mr Safdar stated that, upon inquiry, the jail superintendent informed him that Imran Khan was currently under the care of Pims’ Dr Arif and that the on-duty jail doctor recorded the PTI founder’s vital signs three times daily.

Meanwhile, a medical report dated February 6 — signed by Pims Executive Director Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikander and addressed to the Adiala jail administration — was also submitted to the SC.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2026