PNN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former premier Imran Khan, who is incarcerated at Adiala Jail, has informed officials that his right eye is now functioning at only 15 per cent capacity after he underwent a medical procedure at Islamabad’s PIMS hospital earlier this month.
This was revealed by a report prepared by Barrister Salman Safdar on the Supreme Court’s direction. Safdar on Tuesday submitted the report to a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan. As a result, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that Imran Khan be granted access to his personal physicians in Adiala Jail and allowed telephone contact with his sons, Kasim and Sulaiman.
The PTI founder is currently in state custody, the chief justice said, adding that all prisoners, including Khan, should receive equal medical facilities.
“We will absolutely not say that the PTI founder should be given preferential facilities compared to other prisoners,” the chief justice said. “Everyone should be treated equally,” CJP Afridi added.
Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan said that they are ready to provide access to expert eye specialists.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Salman Safdar to visit Adiala Jail and submit a detailed report on the living conditions and facilities available to Khan, who has been held there for the past two years and four months. A copy of the report, available with The Express Tribune, provides, for the first time in his own words, an account of Khan’s life in custody.
The meeting between Safdar, appointed as a friend of the court, and Khan lasted two hours. According to the report, Khan, referred to as the “Petitioner,” said he has been “subjected to solitary confinement for approximately two years and four months” since his transfer from District Jail Attock in October 2023.
During the meeting, Khan repeatedly highlighted the “rapid and substantial loss of vision over the preceding three months while living and detained under the care and custody of Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum.” He told Safdar that his concerns about his eyes “were not taken seriously nor addressed by jail authorities.”
Khan said that until October 2025 his vision was “6×6,” but it later began to blur. His right eye gradually worsened, reducing his overall vision. This prompted an examination by ophthalmologist Dr Muhammad Arif at PIMS Hospital, where he was told he had a blood clot. The report noted that Khan appeared visibly concerned about the deterioration of his right eye. “Throughout the meeting, the Petitioner’s eyes were watery, and he repeatedly used a tissue to wipe them, reflecting physical discomfort,” it added.
The report also detailed other health concerns. Khan said he has not had a dental check-up for two years and that, despite being 73, regular blood tests had not been conducted. He said his personal physicians, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Asim Yusuf, were previously allowed access, which was later revoked. For nearly three months, Khan said the only treatment he received was eye drops, “which resulted in no improvement and was followed by a major impairment of vision of his right eye.” He confirmed that his right eye is now functioning at only 15 per cent capacity.
Khan described his daily routine, saying he takes breakfast at 9:45am and spends an hour reading the Quran. For physical exercise, he has access to limited equipment, including an exercise machine and nine-kilogram weights. He stays in his cell, which contains a chair, table, bed, and hanger, from 5:30pm until 10am.
His meals include coffee, porridge, and dates for breakfast, and he is allowed to select his weekly menu, which he pays for personally. This includes two days of chicken, two days of meat, and two days of pulses or chaat/sandwiches. Bottled water from Nestlé is provided. “At night, I do not eat a full meal. I eat fruit, drink milk, and have dates,” Khan said.
The report said the cell has adequate air and lighting, but knives, forks, and utensils are not permitted. A jail attendant assists with laundry and general cleaning, including the washroom. Khan reportedly expressed satisfaction with these arrangements, stating, “These are essential arrangements, and I am content with them.” During colder months, he has access to a small heater and blower, and warm water is available at all times.
Khan told Safdar that summer is “particularly difficult” due to extreme heat and humidity, as well as the presence of mosquitoes and insects. He uses mosquito repellents and has a room cooler to cope with the heat. Khan said he has suffered food poisoning two to three times during the summer. About ten surveillance cameras are installed near his cell, including one outside the shower area, but none inside the room. “I have no objection to the cameras as they are for my protection,” he said.
The report also highlighted restrictions on family and legal access. Khan said he has not met his lawyers for the past five months, and visits from his family have been limited. Since a change in the jail superintendent, he has been allowed one 30-minute visit with his wife each week, on Tuesdays. In 2025, he spoke by telephone with his sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, only twice. He also has access to a 30-by-12-foot green area near his cell for sunlight exposure, a 32-inch television (currently non-functional), and around 100 books.
Safdar, who visited the jail as per the court’s orders, told reporters on Tuesday that the report consists of seven pages and 22 paragraphs and has been submitted to the Supreme Court. “My first responsibility was to submit the report,” he said, adding that he had commended Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and the administration of Adiala Jail.
Chief Justice Afridi had instructed that Safdar be treated with respect and given full access to the PTI founder’s cell. “It is expected that our friend of the court will be given access to the PTI founder at Adiala Jail with due respect,” the chief justice said. He added that Safdar’s personal staff officer would assist him if he faced any difficulty.
The bench, comprising CJP Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan, had directed Safdar to prepare the report and submit it by Wednesday, ensuring a detailed account of the PTI founder’s living conditions and available facilities.