Imran ‘treated smoothly’ for retinal condition at PIMS, executive director confirms

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former premier Imran Khan received treatment for a retinal condition at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital over the weekend, the hospital’s executive director said on Saturday.

In a video message, PIMS Executive Director Professor Rana Imran Sikander said the 74-year-old had recently reported reduced vision in his right eye.

Read: Imran’s consent obtained for eye procedure: PIMS

He said a senior and qualified ophthalmologist from PIMS conducted a complete eye assessment at Adiala jail, including strict laboratory examination, fundoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, essential lab tests and optical coherence tomography of the retina.

Based on the assessment, a diagnosis of central retinal vein occlusion was made and hospital-based follow-up treatment was recommended, Sikander said.

“Accordingly, Mr Niazi was brought to PIMS on the night of last Saturday/Sunday for the advised procedure,” he said. Sikander added that at the hospital, the treatment plan, the need for administering an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection, was explained in full to the patient and informed consent was obtained prior to the procedure.

Read More :K-P CM announces overnight sit-in as PTI leaders again denied access to Imran Khan

“The procedure was carried out in the operation theatre under standard sterile protocol and monitoring,” Sikander said, adding that it was completed smoothly in approximately 20 minutes.

He said the patient remained vitally stable during treatment and was discharged with routine post-procedure care instructions, follow-up advice and the documents.

Amid controversy surrounding Imran’s eye treatment, PIMS had confirmed a day ago that he was taken to the hospital late on the night between Saturday and Sunday, where an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection was administered to treat right central retinal vein occlusion after his consent was obtained.

The PTI had expressed concern in recent days over Imran’s health, alleging that jail authorities and the government were obstructing treatment for a “serious eye condition” and demanding immediate medical care. On Thursday, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other PTI leaders were denied permission to meet the party founder, prompting Afridi and the party leadership to stage a sit-in on Adiala Road throughout the night until Imran was allowed to meet with his personal doctors, family members, and legal counsel.

Speaking to the media, Afridi had expressed deep concern over Imran’s health, saying that he had been secretly transferred from jail to PIMS on Saturday. He described the concealment of the founder’s health status as “medical terrorism” and said the incident represented a violation of fundamental human rights.

Imran’s personal physician, Dr Asim Yousaf, had also expressed serious concern over the health of the PTI founder a day ago, saying there may be an underlying medical condition behind his reported eye problem.

In a video message, Dr Yousaf — who also serves as chief medical officer at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital — said that for several days, rumours had been circulating across Pakistan and abroad regarding problems with Imran’s eye.

Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023, currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. In addition, he faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023.