By Micah Jonah
February 17, 2026
The family of jailed former Prime Minister, Imran Khan has rejected claims by the Pakistani government that his eyesight has significantly improved, describing the official medical report as unacceptable, lacking transparency.
A government-appointed medical board recently stated that Khan’s vision in his right eye improved from 6/36 to 6/9 following treatment, while his left eye reportedly remains normal at 6/6 with glasses. The examination was conducted at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the 73-year-old leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has been held since August 2023.
However, Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, said the family has no confidence in the report because his personal physician and a family representative were not allowed to be present during the examination. She insisted that without their physical presence, the family would not accept any government-issued medical updates regarding his health.
According to her, previous assurances that Khan would be transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for further evaluation were abruptly withdrawn by authorities. She alleged that the government repeatedly requested names of doctors and relatives who could accompany him, only to reject each proposal.
Dr Aasim Yusuf, a senior physician associated with Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, acknowledged being briefed by the two doctors who examined Khan. While the doctors reported noticeable improvement in his condition, Yusuf stated that he could neither confirm nor deny the claims because he had not personally examined the former prime minister.
The controversy follows a report submitted last week to Pakistan’s Supreme Court by Barrister Salman Safdar, who was appointed as amicus curiae to assess Khan’s condition. Safdar’s findings indicated rapid vision loss over the past three months, quoting Khan as saying that only 15 percent of vision remained in his right eye at one point.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Law Minister, Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the medical process, saying the treatment provided had led to improvement and that opposition representatives were briefed accordingly. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also insisted that the examination was conducted with full transparency and adequate medical facilities.
The health dispute has further intensified political tensions in the country, as supporters of Khan’s party continue protests demanding unrestricted access to the former leader and his transfer to a specialized medical facility.
Khan, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until his removal through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, remains at the centre of political controversy in the country.
