Achakzai calls for PM Shehbaz’s ‘personal intervention’ for Imran’s medical examinations carried out by trusted doctors

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly (NA), Mahmood Khan Achakzai, on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing concerns over the health of imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and seeking the prime minister’s personal intervention to enable a comprehensive medical examination by a team of “trusted doctors”.

PIMS had previously confirmed that Imran was taken to hospital where, after obtaining consent, he was given an intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF to treat a right central retinal vein occlusion. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar informed the Senate today that Imran was taken to PIMS at his own request.

Achakzai today wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on the matter, which was later shared by the opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) on X.

“I am writing with utmost urgency to immediately draw your attention to a serious matter regarding the health of former Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who is currently detained in Adiala Prison, Rawalpindi,” Achakzai said.

He said he had learned that recent medical examinations had been carried out without the knowledge or presence of Imran’s personal medical team or his family members, and that his personal doctors, who had full knowledge of his medical history, had not been informed.

Achakzai called for a full medical assessment to be carried out at Adiala prison, saying Imran’s health was “a matter of basic human rights”.

Learn more: PTI demands immediate access to Imran Khan amid reports of hospital visit

“A comprehensive medical examination and tests by his trusted doctors are absolutely necessary without delay to properly assess and manage his medical condition, in accordance with medical ethics, legal obligations and basic human rights,” the letter said.

Achakzai requested that Imran’s medical examination be carried out by doctors from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center and Shifa International Hospital, and proposed the names of Dr Muhammad Aasim Yusuf, Prof Mazhar Ishaq and Prof Aamir Awan.

“Your immediate personal intervention to ensure this medical access is necessary. So that the health and well-being of a former Prime Minister is safeguarded,” the Opposition Leader demanded of Prime Minister Shehbaz.

Achakzai had also requested that Imran be given access to his personal doctors during Monday’s NA session. urging authorities to allow an examination by independent doctors. “Send two doctors to examine Imran Khan,” he said.

He had said he would write to Prime Minister Shehbaz requesting that the detained PTI founder’s personal doctors be allowed to examine him.

The PTI had rejected the PIMS report on Imran’s eye treatment, demanding that he be treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital and his family be allowed to meet him.

PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram speaking on Express News program ‘Centre Stage’, said the party did not accept any PIMS report. “The treatment of the PTI founder should be carried out at Shaukat Khanum, and the founder’s family should be allowed to meet him. Our response is that these reports and vlogs should stop. We will not be satisfied with these actions,” he said.

He recalled that during the PTI government, when PML-N President Nawaz Sharif was ill, Imran had said that political differences should be put aside and no one’s life should be politicized.

Akram stressed that public emotions should not be exploited. “We are saying that the PTI founder should be treated in Shaukat Khanum, not PIMS,” he added.

He questions the relevance of the objections to an examination by the founder’s doctor. “Haven’t meetings with the founder been held before? Now we are being lectured on prison manuals and laws,” he said.