Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar has said that former Pakistan Prime Minister could face a brain haemorrhage or heart attack if he is not provided timely medical treatment, local media reported on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Safdar said he had recently met Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, at the prison and told the court about their condition, leading Pakistani daily ‘The Nation’ reported.
He urged the court to shift Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to a hospital and set up an independent medical board to examine them. Safdar said that Imran Khan’s blood pressure had reached 192 on November 1 and warned that he could face serious medical complications if proper treatment is not given.
Safdar voiced concern over worsening eyesight of Bushra Bibi and said that her next surgery was scheduled for November 15. However, he said that she did not agree to undergo another procedure at the same hospital or under the supervision of her previous doctors.
He raised question over taking Bushra Bibi to prison immediately after her first surgery while her eyes were still bandaged and called for detailed reports regarding her previous procedures.
Last week, the core committee of PTI voiced fresh concerns over the health of Imran Khan, while urging the country’s Chief Justice to ensure implementation of court orders about his treatment.
The PTI core committee held a meeting after reports claimed that Imran Khan’s blood pressure had reached 192. In a statement issued following the meeting, the committee voiced “grave concern” over Imran Khan’s health, citing the alleged lack of medical facilities and not allowing him to meet his family and personal doctors, Pakistan’s ‘Dawn’ reported.
In a statement, the PTI core committee said, “The core committee unanimously resolved that protecting Imran Khan’s health and life is an urgent humanitarian issue, and that any negligence, delay or irresponsibility in this regard is unacceptable. His health should be treated as a serious humanitarian and medical emergency rather than merely a political or legal dispute.”
It urged the government to allow Imran Khan to meet his personal physicians, make arrangements for necessary medical evaluation and conduct diagnostic tests of Imran Khan without delay and shift him to Shifa International Hospital for carrying out his medical examination.
It urged Pakistan’s Chief Justice to ensure implementation of orders about Imran Khan’s treatment and give the matter “immediate attention” considering its “exceptional humanitarian importance,” Dawn reported.
Imran Khan has remained in prison since August 2023 after convictions that his party has termed politically motivated. Since his ouster from office in 2022 through a no-confidence vote, Imran Khan has faced several cases, including allegations involving state gifts and an unlawful marriage case. Imran Khan’s health has deteriorated during his prison sentence, drawing criticism from PTI members.
