Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has lost about 85% of the vision in his right eye, his lawyer told the Supreme Court, raising fresh concerns about his health in custody.
Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023 and is serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case. He denies all charges, saying dozens of cases against him were fabricated to keep him out of politics — an allegation Pakistan’s military has repeatedly denied.
His lawyer, Salman Safdar, said Khan now has only 15% vision in his right eye. The claim was included in a fact-finding report submitted to the court and seen by Reuters.
According to the report, Khan told his lawyer he had been suffering from persistent blurred and hazy vision since October 2025, but alleged that prison authorities failed to respond to his complaints.
Safdar submitted the report after a two-hour meeting with Khan, ordered by the Supreme Court. The court has set a February 16 deadline for authorities to allow Khan to be examined by his personal physician and to submit a detailed medical report.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar previously said Khan was taken to hospital earlier this month for a brief eye treatment lasting about 20 minutes.
Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, demanded full implementation of the court’s order. “We want immediate and transparent medical care, access to specialists of his choice, and an end to actions that endanger his life in custody,” the party said in a statement.
PTI faced a major crackdown after Khan’s arrest in May 2023 triggered nationwide protests against the military. Despite this, the party emerged as the single largest group in the 2024 general election.
However, PTI claims widespread rigging prevented it from forming a government, paving the way for a coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif and his allies have denied the allegations.
