Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that if it were proven that medical treatment had been deliberately denied to incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, it would amount to criminal negligence and would be indefensible.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Sanaullah, who also serves as the prime minister’s adviser on public and political affairs, addressed concerns raised by the opposition regarding Khan’s health, particularly an eye condition that recently came to light.
His remarks follow the submission of a seven-page medical report to the Supreme Court by PTI counsel Salman Safdar after a three-hour meeting with the former prime minister at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The report stated that Khan has been left with only 15% vision in his right eye due to a blood clot.
Imran Khan, who has been incarcerated since August 2023, faces multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism following his removal from office through a no-confidence motion in April 2022.
Responding to claims that the PTI founder had been suffering from an eye problem for several months without proper medical care, Sanaullah said that if any official had failed to provide treatment, it would constitute criminal negligence and would be unacceptable. However, he added that if the facts did not support those allegations, then politicising the issue would itself be wrongful.
According to Sanaullah, Khan first raised the complaint about his eye in the first week of January. He said the jail doctor initially prescribed eye drops, which were used for three to four days. The PTI founder was examined again on January 16, followed by further tests conducted by a medical team on January 19. An injection was administered on January 24.
“These details are documented in official records,” Sanaullah told the Senate, adding that he was prepared to share the documentation with the leader of the opposition if necessary.
He rejected claims that the issue had persisted for four months, stating that Khan was examined by the jail doctor every second day and that medical check-ups were conducted whenever he raised concerns. He further noted that the PTI founder had been examined by external doctors on 25 occasions.
Sanaullah said that during a medical check-up on December 9, Khan did not report any eye-related complaints. He also pointed out that Khan’s sister met him on December 2 and stated publicly that his health was satisfactory, with no mention of an eye problem. A medical board meeting was also held on December 9, during which, according to Sanaullah, no such issue was raised.
The senator maintained that once Khan raised the matter in January, medical facilities were provided promptly, describing allegations of a three-to-four-month delay as politically motivated.
He also informed the House that no petition had been filed before the Supreme Court seeking the PTI founder’s transfer to a private hospital. The government, he said, had assured that Khan could be examined by any doctor of his choice. Sanaullah added that the living arrangements of the former prime minister had now been clearly placed on record, removing any ambiguity.
Separately, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, speaking to reporters at an anti-terrorism court in Lahore, said he was deeply saddened by news of Khan’s eye condition and that he could do little beyond offering prayers.
Qureshi stressed that prisoners are entitled to legal and constitutional rights, including access to proper medical care, which he said is the responsibility of jail authorities.
He claimed that PTI leader Mehmood ur Rasheed was scheduled for a hospital visit but the appointment could not proceed due to a lack of security arrangements. He added that Yasmin Rashid’s treatment in Lahore had similarly been delayed for the same reason.
Referring to his own health, Qureshi said he is currently undergoing treatment at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI) and may be able to avoid surgery. However, he said he has not been transported for treatment due to the absence of police security.
Holding the provincial administration accountable, Qureshi blamed the Punjab government for the situation. He warned that if Imran Khan were to permanently lose his eyesight, responsibility would lie with the jail authorities and the government.
He also expressed sorrow over seeing Aleema Khan in tears and said he hoped for peace in the country, adding that he did not wish to see further political tension or public unrest.