Imran Khan lost vision due to prison mistreatment, alleges PTI leader
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja has alleged that party founder Imran Khan has suffered partial loss of vision in one eye due to alleged mistreatment during his imprisonment, raising concerns over his health and access to medical care in custody. Salman Akram Raja said that “all doors of justice appear to be closed,” claiming that Imran Khan has remained in detention for around 1,000 days and is being denied fundamental constitutional rights. He made these remarks while talking to media outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Wednesday. His statement comes amid ongoing medical treatment of the former prime minister. Imran Khan recently received his fourth intravitreal eye injection at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on April 28 as part of continued treatment for a serious eye condition. According to medical details submitted to the Supreme Court by his counsel and amicus curiae Salman Safdar, Imran Khan has been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). The condition occurs when the main vein responsible for draining blood from the retina becomes blocked and is often associated with health risks such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. During the briefing, Raja also alleged that court-ordered visitation rights were not being implemented, claiming that meetings with Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were being restricted. He said only selected individuals were being allowed access, while close family members, including sisters, were reportedly being denied meetings despite the PTI founder’s medical condition. He further alleged that even legal formalities, including signatures on vakalatnamas, were being obstructed. Raja also claimed that Bushra Bibi was facing multiple legal cases, including references related to the Toshakhana matter, which he described as politically motivated. He said PTI had filed several petitions in the Supreme Court but he