PTI slams government silence on Imran’s health, demands clarity as public unease grows

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday called for immediate and complete transparency regarding the health of jailed founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, expressing growing concern over growing public anxiety.

Imran, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 after convictions that he and the PTI say were politically motivated. Since his ouster in 2022 in a vote of no confidence, he has faced numerous cases, including involving state gifts and an illegal marriage. Some convictions have been suspended or overturned, and appeals are underway. He denies any wrongdoing.

The PTI has expressed serious concerns over the party founder’s health after the Supreme Court was informed that only 15 per cent of Imran’s vision remained in his right eye. The information was conveyed to the apex court by lawyer Salman Safdar, who was made friend of the court. The development caused an uproar in the opposition ranks, who criticized the government for allowing Imran’s health to deteriorate to this level.

In a statement issued on X today, the PTI highlighted that the government’s lack of clarity regarding Imran’s health had only intensified public unease. The party said it saw the issue as more than a political one, presenting it as a test of national confidence, human rights and government accountability.

“Any ambiguity around the health of a leader who enjoys the trust of millions of people is unacceptable. The government’s silence and lack of clarity have only intensified public unease instead of alleviating it,” the statement read.

He adds that Imran was widely regarded as an important political figure, not only in Pakistan but around the world. The PTI argued that any uncertainty regarding its well-being was intolerable and that there should be no delay in ensuring full transparency.

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The PTI demanded that Imran’s personal doctors be given immediate and unrestricted access to conduct necessary medical examinations, including blood tests and scans. The party also demanded that if specialist assessments were required, Imran be allowed to be transferred to a hospital or diagnostic center of his choice.

“It is the government’s responsibility to provide the nation with clear, verified and unambiguous medical facts,” he said.

The statement further condemned the delays in responding to concerns over Imran’s health, stating that no further delays would be acceptable.

According to Imran’s medical report, the anterior segment of both eyes was normal and the cornea was clear. He noted a slight intragel hemorrhage at the edge of the right eye and a moderate retinal hemorrhage in all four quadrants.

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Swelling of the macula in the right eye subsided, with macular thickness reduced from 550 to 350 microns. The board outlined the ongoing medications and treatment and recommended OCT angiography and fundus fluorescein angiography after completion of anti-VEGF treatment, the report added, while no recommendation was made for Imran’s transfer to a hospital.