Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan's Vision Loss: Pak SC Orders Medical Board To Examine

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday instructed authorities to set up a medical board to examine jailed former premier Imran Khan's eyes after a report of his vision loss surfaced. 

The court also ordered officials to allow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder to speak with his children. 

It is to be noted here that Imran Khan has been in jail since August 5, 2023, when he was arrested at his Lahore residence after his conviction in a corruption case. Currently, he is incarcerated at the high-security Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

As per the Dawn, the SC also ordered that both the eye inspection and the phone calls be conducted before February 16 (Monday).

The court ordered the same as a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and including Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan resumed hearing the case regarding the PTI founder’s living conditions in Adiala jail, as per the Dawn.

According to the report by the Dawn, ''Imran Khan underwent a medical procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad on the night of January 24, a development confirmed days later amid an apparent lack of knowledge by the family.''

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

“We want to know the government’s stance on the matter of his (Imran’s) health,” said the top judge. To which the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan stated 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 Imran’s “telephone calls with his children is also important”.