ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan was transferred to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Tuesday for a scheduled follow-up visit related to treatment of his right eye.
The PTI founder was shifted to the hospital under heightened security from Adiala Jail for the second time after his earlier visit on January 24 and 25. Doctors had prescribed three injections as part of his eye care treatment. He was moved back to prison after staying at the hospital for nearly an hour, during which his heart condition was also examined. He is scheduled to receive the third injection on March 23.
Before the procedure, a board of specialists conducted a detailed eye examination. A consultant cardiologist performed echocardiography and an electrocardiogram, both of which showed normal cardiac function, according to a statement issued by the hospital’s executive director.
Officials said informed consent was obtained prior to treatment. The procedure was carried out under the supervision of consultant ophthalmologists and a vitreoretinal surgeon from Pims and Shifa International Eye Hospital.
Following preliminary assessments, he was administered a second dose of an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection as part of ongoing care for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), a serious eye condition. The injection was delivered in an operation theatre under established medical protocols and precautionary measures.
The intervention was performed as day-care surgery, and he was discharged later the same day. Hospital authorities stated that his vital signs remained stable throughout his stay, during the procedure and in recovery. He was sent back with follow-up advice, necessary instructions and relevant medical documentation.
His health has become a point of contention between the government and the opposition after a report submitted to the Supreme Court by his counsel and amicus curiae Barrister Salman Safdar revealed that he had been diagnosed with CRVO. The report stated that he had complained of losing 85% of vision in his right eye.
CRVO commonly affects older adults and is associated with underlying cardiovascular risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.
Imran Khan, 73, has been jailed since August 2023 following convictions he and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, describe as politically motivated. Since his ouster in a no-confidence vote in 2022, he has faced multiple cases, some of which have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending. He denies wrongdoing.