ISLAMABAD:
Since the adoption of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been struggling not only to get substantial relief from the courts, but even to get its cases disposed of in a timely manner – especially those involving its founder, Imran Khan, and his wife – before the higher judiciary.
The party, whose founder and leader Imran Khan has remained incarcerated for more than two years, continues to knock on the doors of justice for hearings into its cases. However, progress has been slow, with PTI petitions still blocked on several forums.
Currently, PTI leaders, including family members, are raising their voices to gain access to Imran Khan’s doctors for the examination of his eye.
Instead of approaching the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), PTI lawyers are consistently approaching the Supreme Court, seeking the transfer of Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment.
It is learned that PTI lawyers namely Advocate Gohar Ayub, Salman Akram Raja, Latif Khosa, Ali Muhammad Khan and others met the SC Registrar to resolve the matter related to Imran’s health.
Even KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi appealed, in Pashto language, to Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, seeking SC intervention on Imran’s health issue.
The SC is expected to settle the matter for a hearing next week.
Legal experts believe that after the 27th Amendment, the SC no longer has jurisdiction to grant relief in such a case. They claim that the SC cannot initiate proceedings against the will of the government.
Even the executive branch has the ability to challenge SC proceedings before the FCC, in which judges are appointed by the current government.
The SC is likely to consider the application filed next week by Imran Khan’s lawyer Latif Khosa, in which a request was made for Imran to be immediately transferred to Shifa International Hospital for specialized treatment of his eye problem by a retina specialist.
He also requested access to his personal doctors, Dr. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf, and requested that his family be allowed to remain present during medical examinations and treatments.
“The petitioner be immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, for proper treatment of his eyes by a retina specialist and allow access to his personal physician, Dr. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf,” the petition said.
The application described Khan, 73, as being in poor health and said his condition was a matter of serious concern to both his family and the public. He added that he had repeatedly requested to consult his personal doctors for an independent examination and treatment of his deteriorating eye condition.
It is also requested that Khan’s family members be informed and given reasonable access during his medical treatment, and that his legal advisor be provided with certified copies of all medical reports and examinations. She further requested her lawyer to visit her regularly to ensure effective legal representation.
The lawyer also filed an application for early hearing in South Carolina in which it is stated that subsequent developments, including medical examinations conducted on February 15 at Rawalpindi Central Jail, and on February 23 at PIMS Hospital, without disclosure of medical reports to the petitioner’s lawyer or his family members, have increased the urgency of the matter. The continued uncertainty regarding his health status causes serious concern and apprehension.
He therefore asked to resolve the problem by next week.
The petition states that over the past few months, reports have surfaced across Pakistan raising serious concerns regarding the deterioration of the petitioner’s eyesight and general health. This information, coupled with continued denial of access to family members, has created deep uncertainty.
In these circumstances, the court was approached for appropriate relief. Your Lordship, by order dated 10.02.2026, was pleased to appoint Advocate Salman Safdar, ASC, as Friend of the Court and permitted him to visit the petitioner at Rawalpindi Central Jail and submit a written report on his living conditions and health.
As per the order, Salman Safdar submitted a report confirming that Imran has only about 15 percent vision left in his right eye. It further states, particularly in paragraph 8, that despite the petitioner’s repeated complaints of blurred and dangerous vision, no timely or adequate medical intervention was undertaken by the prison authorities, which ultimately resulted in total loss of vision in one eye.
It is stated that in the backdrop of these alarming findings, it came to light that a medical examination of the petitioner was conducted inside the Rawalpindi Central Jail on 15.02.2026. It is shocking to note that this examination was carried out in the total absence of his family members, his personal doctors or his legal representatives. “No prior information was given to them regarding said medical examination.”
“It is claimed in some quarters that the family and party members were informed but voluntarily chose not to attend. These claims are completely incorrect and unrealistic. At no time were the petitioner’s family members, his personal doctors or his lawyer informed. In fact, when the petitioner’s sisters contacted the authorities, they were denied access. Instead, a select group of doctors was formed to conduct the examination. The personal doctors, the members of the petitioner’s family and legal team were denied access, contrary to the recommendations noted by Mr. Salman Safdar, ASC, friend of the Court, in his report in paragraph 21.”
“The applicant has repeatedly requested access to his personal doctors, namely Dr. Faisal Sultan and Dr. Asim Yousaf, for independent examination and treatment of his deteriorating eye condition. In view of the findings recorded in the report submitted before this honorable Court, the conduct of medical examination in secret, without informing the family or independent doctors, has given rise to serious apprehensions.
“The continued exclusion of petitioner’s family and personal physicians from information regarding his health has created unavoidable doubts. Such secrecy not only undermines confidence in the medical process, but also causes unrest and distress among his family members, friends and supporters.”
