Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan is confronting a severe medical emergency while incarcerated, with his health reportedly in grave danger due to a serious eye condition that threatens permanent vision loss. The 73-year-old political leader, who has been detained since August 2023 on corruption and state secrets charges, has been diagnosed with a dangerous blockage in the retinal vein of his right eye.
Medical Crisis in Solitary Confinement
According to officials from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the former prime minister has developed a central retinal vein occlusion - a condition medical experts describe as extremely sensitive and serious. If left untreated, this blockage carries a high risk of causing permanent damage to eyesight, with Khan already reportedly suffering from blurred vision as a result.
The situation has been exacerbated by what Khan's supporters describe as systematic denial of proper medical care. Prison authorities have allegedly prevented Khan's personal physician from examining him for several months, a situation the PTI has characterised as reckless endangerment of the former leader's health.
Access Denied Despite Court Orders
Khan has been largely kept in solitary confinement according to his legal team and party leaders, who report being denied access to the former prime minister for the past three months. This isolation persists despite a court order stipulating that Khan should receive visits from family members and lawyers twice weekly.
Gohar Ali Khan, a barrister serving as PTI chair, expressed significant concerns about both Khan's health and his prison conditions. "Despite the court orders, we could not meet Khan," he stated. "He is incommunicado and in solitary confinement which is against his fundamental rights. After the reports on Khan's health, we and his physicians should be given immediate access."
Family Protests and Political Context
For three consecutive months, lawyers, senior party figures, and Khan's sisters have been protesting outside Adiala prison, demanding access to the imprisoned former leader. These demonstrations have frequently been met with tear gas and water cannons from security forces.
Khan's sister Uzma Khanum, speaking during a sit-in outside the prison facility, revealed the family's current predicament: "Presently, we don't know anything about the condition of his eye as we are not allowed to meet him." This statement comes despite a brief meeting in early December where family members reported Khan's health appeared satisfactory.
Legal Battles and Extended Sentences
The former cricket star turned politician served as Pakistan's prime minister between 2018 and 2022 before being removed through a parliamentary vote of no confidence, following deteriorating relations with the country's powerful military establishment.
Since his arrest in August 2023, Khan has faced over 100 charges which he maintains were fabricated by military and government authorities to eliminate him from political contention. His legal troubles have resulted in multiple convictions:
- A three-year sentence for allegedly selling state gifts
- A further 14-year prison term on corruption charges delivered in January 2025
- His wife receiving a seven-year sentence in the same corruption case
A recent legal petition by PTI leaders seeking prison access was rejected this week, while Khan last met with his legal representatives approximately 100 days ago. The combination of extended solitary confinement, denied medical access, and serious health complications has created what supporters describe as a dangerous situation for Pakistan's most high-profile political prisoner.
