By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD -  A fierce political storm is brewing over the health of Pakistan's jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan as conflicting medical reports submitted to the Supreme Court paint wildly different pictures of his health condition, with his party alleging a "complete blackout" on his well-being.

The 73-year-old main opposition leader, imprisoned since August 2023, faces a critical court hearing on Monday regarding petitions seeking his transfer to a hospital and access to family and personal physicians.

On Monday, Adiala Jail authorities submitted an official report to the Supreme Court claiming significant improvement in Khan's health. The two-page document stated:

 

"Consequently, significant improvement of his eye has been noticed, and his vision returned to almost normal" .

According to the jail superintendent's report, Khan has received treatment from top ophthalmologists, including Dr. Muhammad Arif Khan from PIMS Islamabad and Dr. Nadeem Qureshi from Alshifa Trust Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi.

The report noted that medical officers check on Khan three times daily, and he has undergone 39 specialist consultations since November 2023.

The authorities also claimed that Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been meeting regularly every Tuesday, with 84 such meetings held to date.

However, the official report has been met with outrage and disbelief from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which points to alarming medical data contained within the very same submission.

The medical board's findings, reportedly attached to the jail report, recorded Khan's blood pressure at 140/100 and pulse rate of 50 beats per minute on August 1 . Doctors noted "Anxiety +++" and recorded complaints of "head heaviness" and "palpitations".

Most critically, the medical board explicitly recommended that Khan be allowed more frequent meetings with his family and spouse, stating this would help control his anxiety and blood pressure. The board also advised daily walks, mental relaxation activities, and access to newspapers, books, and television.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan demanded immediate action: "Since last October, access has been denied to Imran, and we have been demanding that this 'cat and mouse game' should end" .

The situation is further complicated by earlier medical reports documenting severe deterioration in Khan's eyesight. In February 2026, Khan's lawyer Salman Safdar submitted a report to the Supreme Court claiming the former premier had lost 85% of vision in his right eye due to Right Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO).

Khan was diagnosed with the condition in late January 2026 and has received multiple treatments, including at least three anti-VEGF intravitreal injections at PIMS. The PTI maintains that Khan had been complaining about vision problems since October 2025, but that jail authorities initially took no action.

- Isolation and "Complete Blackout"

Adding to the controversy, PTI officials claim Khan is being held in complete isolation. A party statement declared:

"Imran Khan's official medical report confirms that there is no access to TV, newspapers, or any connection to the outside world. This written record proves that along with physical isolation, there is a complete blackout of news as well".

 

PTI leader Junaid Akbar expressed national concern, stating: "The report submitted in court today regarding Chairman Imran Khan's health has caused increased concern across the entire nation".

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi added: "We are extremely concerned about the official report that has been submitted; we do not know in what condition our leader is being kept—arrange an immediate meeting with his family!"

PTI has challenged the validity of the official jail report, arguing it lacks proper institutional authority:

"The presentation of unauthenticated documentation, lacking official institutional letterhead, accredited hospital stamps, or authorized physician signatures, constitutes a complete breach of clinical oversight".

The party insists Khan must be "immediately moved to a properly equipped tertiary care hospital" where independent medical evaluation can be conducted under the care of his personal physicians.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Wahid, also comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, will hear the petitions on August 18.

The petitioners are seeking Khan's transfer to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital, access to his family, and consultation with his personal physicians. The court had previously ordered an early hearing of the case.

 With Khan's health seemingly deteriorating and conflicting reports causing public confusion, PTI has warned of "large-scale protests" if their demands for family access and proper medical care are not met.`