ISLAMABAD, February 17, 2026: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday accused the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), of exploiting former prime minister Imran Khan’s health condition for political advantage, insisting that authorities have ensured proper medical care for the jailed leader.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Naqvi dismissed claims circulating on social media and by PTI leaders that Khan had lost 85 percent of vision in one eye. He termed such assertions “propaganda” aimed at misleading the public.
The controversy surfaced after PTI rejected a government-issued medical report concerning Khan’s eye condition and demanded that his personal physician and family members be permitted to examine him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where he is currently incarcerated.
Health concerns were raised last week when Khan’s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, stated after a prison visit that the former premier had experienced severe vision impairment in his right eye due to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). According to him, the condition had left Khan with significantly reduced eyesight in the affected eye.
Jail officials, however, maintained that a panel of doctors from various hospitals conducted a comprehensive medical examination on Sunday and submitted their findings to the court. A two-page medical summary circulating online noted that Khan’s unaided vision measured 6/24 in the right eye and 6/9 in the left, improving with corrective glasses. While confirming the issuance of the medical report, the interior minister refrained from sharing detailed findings during his media interaction.
Naqvi said the government had fulfilled its responsibility by ensuring medical evaluation and transparency. He revealed that PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan had been invited to witness the medical examination at Adiala Jail but declined due to internal party consultations. Additionally, opposition leaders and their nominated doctors were invited to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a briefing on the medical assessment.
According to Naqvi, those who attended the briefing expressed satisfaction over the medical arrangements. However, he alleged that certain party figures continued to escalate the issue publicly for political purposes.
Khan’s reported health issues have triggered protests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI holds power. Demonstrations, road blockades, and a sit-in outside parliament in Islamabad have been staged by supporters demanding improved medical access and transparency.
Meanwhile, a group of 14 former international cricket captains issued a joint appeal urging the government to provide immediate and appropriate medical care to Khan. The signatories included prominent names such as Michael Atherton, Allan Border, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Clive Lloyd and Steve Waugh.
In their statement, the former captains emphasized principles of fairness, dignity, and humane treatment, noting that Khan, a former national cricket captain and global sports icon, deserved respectful detention conditions and transparent legal access.
Imran Khan, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until his removal through a parliamentary vote of no confidence in 2022, has remained in custody since August 2023 in multiple cases that he describes as politically motivated. The government has consistently denied those allegations.
Khan’s family members are expected to address the media later today outside Adiala Jail to present their position regarding his medical condition.
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