Imran Khan petitions court for treatment at Shifa International Hospital

Imran Khan has once again petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for a transfer to Shifa International Hospital, seeking specialized eye treatment due to severe vision loss. The former prime minister’s legal team alleged that prison authorities have been conducting medical examinations in secret, without informing him or his family and doctors.

This latest plea comes as Khan has faced persistent issues with his eyesight since being imprisoned in August 2023 at Adiala Jail. According to the petition filed by senior counsel Sardar Latif Khosa, the 73-year-old former leader lost complete vision in one eye and retains only around 15 per cent vision in the other.

The application cites a report submitted to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, noting that despite repeated complaints about blurred and hazardous vision, prison authorities failed to provide timely medical intervention. The document also highlights an examination conducted inside Central Jail, Rawalpindi on February 15 without prior notice to Khan’s family, personal doctors or legal team.

The issue has been ongoing since a follow-up consultation arranged by the government on February 25, which was transferred to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on February 23. The transfer did not allow access for Khan’s personal physicians Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yousaf or his family members.

Earlier in 2026, the Supreme Court had adjourned related petitions sine die, directing any grievances to be addressed first before the IHC, where Imran Khan is appealing against his trial court conviction. His legal team now seeks urgent intervention, citing the secrecy and lack of transparency in eye-related medical care inside prison facilities.

The Shifa International Hospital would offer much-needed specialist treatment for Khan’s condition, aligning with past requests for improved healthcare and access to specialists that have often been overlooked in the state-run prisons.