ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s opposition party led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday raised fresh concerns over his health and jail access, saying his family had been kept uninformed about a reported medical condition, while the government rejected the allegations and accused the party of politicizing a routine prison matter.
The dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny of Khan’s incarceration, which has become a central fault line in Pakistan’s polarized politics. Khan, a popular leader who was prime minister from 2018-22, has been in prison since August 2023 following a series of convictions he and his party say are politically motivated. His detention has repeatedly triggered legal challenges, protests and claims of mistreatment, all of which the government denies.
On Tuesday, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said on social media platform X it had "credible" reports that he had been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, which it described as “a dangerous blockage in the retinal vein.” Quoting medical experts who had examined him in prison, the party warned the condition could lead to permanent damage to his eyesight if not treated properly.
