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Supreme Court Orders Medical Board to Examine Imran Khan’s Eye, Allows Call with Children
The Supreme Court has ordered the formation of a medical team to examine Imran Khan’s eye after claims that only 15% vision remains. The court also directed authorities to arrange phone calls with his children before Feb 16.
ND
by News Desk
2026-02-12
Supreme Court Orders Medical Board to Examine Imran Khan’s Eye, Allows Call with Children

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the formation of a medical team to examine former prime minister Imran Khan’s eye after a report submitted in court stated that only 15 per cent vision remained in his right eye.

The apex court also directed jail authorities to arrange telephone calls between the incarcerated PTI founder and his children. Both the medical examination and the calls are to be conducted before February 16.

The directives were issued by a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan during a hearing on Imran’s living conditions at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.

Court Seeks Government’s Position

Observing that the issue of Imran’s health was of primary importance, CJP Afridi remarked that “intervention was necessary.” He asked the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan to clarify the government’s stance on the matter.

AGP Awan responded that it was the state’s responsibility to provide medical facilities to prisoners and assured the court that if the prisoner was dissatisfied, appropriate measures would be taken.

The chief justice also noted that the matter of Imran’s communication with his children was significant, adding, “We are trusting the government. The government is in a good mood today.”

Medical Report Details

The court was hearing a petition concerning Imran’s prison conditions and had before it reports submitted by PTI counsel Advocate Salman Safdar — appointed amicus curiae — and the Adiala jail superintendent.

Safdar, who met Imran earlier this week, submitted a seven-page report quoting the former premier as stating that despite receiving treatment, including an injection, he had been left with only 15pc vision in his right eye.

According to the report, Imran had normal 6x6 vision until October 2025 but later began experiencing blurred and hazy vision, which he said was repeatedly reported to jail authorities without timely intervention. He subsequently suffered sudden vision loss and was diagnosed with a blood clot affecting the retina.

A separate medical report dated February 6 from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), signed by Executive Director Prof Dr Rana Imran Sikander, confirmed a diagnosis of right central retinal vein occlusion. The report stated that a qualified ophthalmologist conducted a comprehensive eye examination at Adiala Jail, including slit lamp examination, fundoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, laboratory tests, and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Imran was brought to Pims on the night of January 24, where an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection was administered after obtaining informed consent. The procedure, according to the report, was completed smoothly within approximately 20 minutes.

Court Rejects Family Presence During Examination

During proceedings, the Supreme Court declined a request for Imran’s family members to be present during the medical examination. It also noted that matters relating to family meetings were already pending before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and would be addressed by the appropriate forum.

The attorney general informed the court that additional reading material requested for Imran would be provided after consultation with eye specialists.

Conflicting Narratives

While Safdar’s report described Imran as “visibly perturbed and deeply distressed” by the loss of vision and absence of timely specialised care, the jail superintendent’s report reportedly stated that prison conditions and facilities were satisfactory.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, in a post on X, said that claims of mistreatment had “fallen flat” in light of the submitted reports. He asserted that all facilities were available to Imran and that he enjoyed privileges exceeding those of other prisoners.

The matter has drawn heightened public and political attention, with the Supreme Court now directly overseeing aspects of Imran Khan’s medical care and prison communication rights.

The case will proceed following compliance with the court’s directives regarding the medical team’s examination and facilitation of phone calls before the February 16 deadline.
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