A spokesperson for former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned, revealed on Monday that Khan has been denied medical treatment and has lost 85% of the vision in his right eye due to a blood clot.
Zulfi Bukhari, Khan’s press secretary, mentioned that a well-equipped ambulance was dispatched to Adiala Prison on Sunday, where Khan is incarcerated. However, he should have been taken to a suitable hospital with the necessary equipment, according to Sky News.
Bukhari called the official information about Khan’s health mere “hearsay,” noting that prison authorities have not allowed any examination by a doctor.
“Why are we only getting calls and hearing reports? Why is his doctor not permitted to be present? Shouldn’t we at least be allowed to see him after a medical assessment? This applies to all families,” Bukhari expressed in frustration.
He further questioned the reasons behind Khan’s isolation and the secrecy surrounding the process, asking why it had to be conducted in such a clandestine manner without any participation from others.
Khan, aged 73, was a cricket superstar before he served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022, when he was ousted through an unprecedented vote of no confidence. Following his removal, he sought to re-enter the political scene but faced an assassination attempt in November 2022, which resulted in him being investigated for over 100 corruption and abuse of power allegations during his tenure. Khan and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), argue that these charges are politically motivated, though the courts did not agree.
After his arrest in 2023, Khan was imprisoned and faced corruption and national security charges. Although the initial conviction was deemed unjust, additional cases were lodged that extended his prison term. The Islamabad High Court is set to make a ruling in August 2023.
Earlier this year, government representatives revealed that Khan underwent eye surgery, which caused outrage among his family and supporters who were not notified about his health status beforehand.
On Monday, Pakistani Cabinet Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry stated that doctors had assessed Khan in prison and found no significant complications from the surgery. His doctor, Dr. Asim Yusuf, told that Khan’s vision had reportedly “improved,” yet he has not been permitted to conduct a personal examination.
Khan’s two adult sons, Sulaiman and Qasim, managed to speak with their father for the first time in months last weekend, but only for about 20 minutes. They voiced concerns over his mental state, describing the conditions as “mental torture” in a so-called “death cell,” fearing they might never see him again. Bukhari noted that Khan has not had any in-person contact with his sons for three years.
Last week, Qasim Khan took to social media to state that his father’s loss of vision was “a direct result of 922 days of solitary confinement, medical neglect, and deliberate denial of proper treatment” in prison.
“The responsibility lies with the current regime, the army chief, and those who have facilitated this injustice. This physical decline is occurring under their orders and supervision,” he asserted.
On Saturday, Khan’s legal team submitted a petition to the Islamabad High Court, requesting his release on medical grounds and the suspension of his 17-year prison sentence. This humanitarian appeal gained support from over a dozen former cricket captains, including notable Indian players like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev.
A former sports colleague of Khan remarked, “Many of us grew up competing against him or admiring his talent and spirit.” They also expressed deep concern over Khan’s alarming health decline, especially his eyesight while in custody, and criticized the conditions of his imprisonment over the last two and a half years.
These former cricket legends stated, “Khan deserves to be treated with basic human dignity and respect as a former national leader and a global sporting icon.”
