Pakistan SC orders Imran Khan shifted to private hospital for eye check-up

Islamabad,UPDATED: Aug 18, 2026 15:22 IST

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that jailed former prime minister Imran Khan be shifted to a private hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination, after petitions were filed over his eye ailment. The order came a day after jail authorities said the 73-year-old's eyesight was "almost normal".

A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed issued the direction while hearing several identical petitions. The petitioners sought Khan's hospitalisation, saying they were not satisfied with the treatment being provided at government hospitals.

The court ordered that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder be taken to Shifa Hospital in Islamabad in the next few days. "Mindful of the fundamental rights, we are issuing this order to ensure the health and safety of the prisoner," Justice Waheed said.

Khan, a former cricketer-turned-politician, has been in jail since August 2023. He has been taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad several times for treatment after his eye ailment - right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) - came to light in late January.

Adiala Jail authorities said Khan had been treated properly since his condition surfaced. According to the report, he was treated at PIMS by the hospital's head of ophthalmology, Dr Muhammad Arif Khan, and Dr Nadeem Qureshi, a vitreo-retinal surgeon at Alshifa Trust Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi. "Consequently, significant improvement of his eye has been noticed, and his vision returned to almost normal," the report claimed.

The report also said the medical treatment and the improvement in Khan's vision showed that the jail administration had made all-out efforts to provide him with the best healthcare facilities. The court's order now requires that he be taken to a private hospital for further medical examination.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends