The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has expressed serious concerns over the health of its founder, Imran Khan, and urged the chief justice of Pakistan to ensure the implementation of court directives regarding his medical treatment.
The party’s core committee held a meeting on Thursday that continued late into the night following reports that Imran’s blood pressure had recently risen to 192.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the committee voiced grave concerns over the former prime minister’s medical condition, citing alleged restrictions on healthcare facilities and limited access to his family members and personal doctors.
The committee was also briefed about Imran’s recent meeting with his lawyer, Salman Safdar, and described reports regarding his elevated blood pressure as extremely alarming.
The party maintained that protecting Imran’s health and life was an urgent humanitarian concern, stressing that any negligence or delay in providing medical assistance would be unacceptable.
The committee demanded that the government immediately grant Imran’s personal physicians unrestricted access to him, arrange all necessary medical examinations and diagnostic tests, and transfer him to Shifa International Hospital for a comprehensive medical assessment and treatment.
Highlighting that Imran has remained incarcerated for more than three years, the committee warned that any further delay in addressing his medical concerns would not be acceptable.
It also appealed to citizens across Pakistan, including overseas Pakistanis, to raise their voices in support of protecting the PTI founder’s health and ensuring access to proper medical care. The party called for the matter to receive attention at both national and international levels.
The committee specifically urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take immediate notice of the situation and ensure that existing court orders concerning Imran’s treatment were effectively implemented.
It emphasised that compliance with judicial directives was a constitutional and legal obligation of the relevant government departments and prison authorities.
The PTI leadership also directed its lawmakers, party organisations and office-bearers to raise concerns about Imran’s health, medical treatment and legal rights in Parliament, provincial assemblies and other relevant forums.
During the meeting, the committee also expressed concern over an incident involving incarcerated PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who reportedly fell in prison, raising concerns about his health.
The party called on the relevant courts, government authorities and prison administration to arrange his immediate transfer to a hospital for a comprehensive medical examination and necessary treatment.
Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023, and concerns regarding his health have repeatedly been raised by party leaders and supporters during his incarceration.
His right-eye condition, identified as right central retinal vein occlusion, came to light in late January. Since then, he has been taken to hospital several times for medical examinations and treatment.
On August 18, the Supreme Court directed the government to transfer the former prime minister to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad. The directive came a day after the superintendent of Adiala Jail submitted a report regarding Imran’s health condition.
The prison administration maintained in its report that adequate healthcare facilities were being provided to the incarcerated couple and that their medical well-being remained a priority.
However, an attached medical assessment stated that Dr Akhtar Ali Bandeshah of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) had examined Imran on August 1 after he complained of fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches and restlessness.
According to the assessment, Imran had also linked his stress and symptoms to limited meetings with his wife, family members and social contacts, as well as restricted access to newspapers and television.
On August 10, a medical board comprising PIMS specialists examined him after he reported heaviness in his head and heart palpitations.
The board recommended that he be allowed a one-hour daily walk, a more relaxed prison routine and access to newspapers, magazines, television and books. It also suggested more frequent meetings with his immediate family or spouse, noting that such interaction could help reduce anxiety and stabilise his blood pressure.
Following these recommendations, the Supreme Court ordered his transfer to Shifa International Hospital.
However, the government instead took the PTI founder to PIMS before returning him to prison.
At the time, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar attributed the change in the hospital arrangements to security concerns allegedly caused by PTI workers gathering along the route and outside the medical facility.
The PTI rejected the government’s explanation and accused the authorities of deliberately failing to comply with the Supreme Court’s directions.
