Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has told his lawyer, amicus curiae Salman Safdar, that he has been left with only 15% vision in his right eye despite treatment for an eye condition reported last month.
The report, produced on the order of the Supreme Court, was read out in the courtroom on Thursday, with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi directing the government to ensure the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder be grated access to specialist eye doctors before Feb. 16. The court also ordered jail authorities to ensure Khan is able to speak via phone with his sons, Kasim and Suleiman, who are based in the U.K.
Safdar submitted the report a day earlier after a two-hour meeting with Khan and an examination of his prison conditions. During the hearing, the CJP observed that the issue of Khan’s health was the most important and required judicial intervention. He said the court wanted to know the government’s position on the matter of the PTI founder’s health and directed the formation of a team of to conduct the eye examination.
The court also noted that the reports submitted by Safdar and the jail superintendent regarding Khan’s living conditions were identical.
Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan told the court the government was ready to provide access to specialist eye doctors, adding providing healthcare facilities to prisoners was the responsibility of the state. He said if any prisoner was dissatisfied with the medical facilities, the state would take necessary steps to correct this.
The CJP observed the court would not order the provision of any facilities more preferential than those given to other inmates, stressing that everyone must be treated equally. He also observed that the facility of telephone calls with the PTI founder’s sons, Kasim and Suleiman, was an important issue and the court was placing its trust in the government in this regard. He then reserved the court’s order in the original case.
Medical report
According to the report submitted by Safdar, Khan shared details of his “rapid and substantial loss” of vision over the past three months. He claimed his concern over his declining vision was not taken seriously, nor address by the relevant jail authorities. He said the issue arose in October 2025 and progressed until he experienced a sudden and complete loss of vision in his right eye. Subsequently, he said PIMS Hospital ophthalmologist Dr. Muhammad Arif examined him, diagnosing him with a blood clot. Despite the treatment administered, said Khan, he had “been left with only 15% vision in his right eye.”
Safdar shared that Khan appeared “visibly perturbed and deeply distressed by the loss of vision and the absence of timely and specialized” medical care. “Throughout the meeting, the petitioner’s eyes were watery, and he repeatedly used a tissue to wipe them, reflecting physical discomfort,” he added.
The report also shares details of Khan’s daily routine, including daily exercise, his meals, and his confinement. The former prime minister, it reads, has access to a “mushaqati” to wash and clean his cell, adding he has no complaints in this regard. He said his living conditions were better in winter than summer, noting the presence of mosquitos during the summer months and high humidity and heat. He also sought access to a refrigerator, stating he had suffered food poisoning two or three times since being confined in Adiala Jail.
The PTI founder said he had no concerns regarding his security, noting the presence of CCTV surveillance in all areas available to him apart from his personal cell. He sought access to his lawyers, noting he had not met them the past five months, hampering his ability to contest the cases pending against him. He further expressed disappointment at his inability to meet his family and blood relatives and failure to speak to his sons. He said he was permitted to meet his wife once a week after a change in the superintendent of the jail.
The report states Khan is housed in a compound within Adiala Jail, with access to a 12×30 feet green area and a 16×70 cemented area, both of which he uses for walking and exercise. The cell utilized by the former prime minister is 8×10 and is surrounded by six other identical cells, one of which is used for his shower and to store his exercise bike. “He had reiterated that his wants remain limited and reasonable, fully acknowledging the constraints of incarceration,” wrote Safdar of Khan.
The report concludes by recommending the Khan be examined by a team of expert ophthalmologists; be granted access to his personal physicians; be provided an uninterrupted supply of books; be allowed to meet his legal team and his blood relatives; and receive intervention for insect control within the cell.