ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that any verified failure to provide timely medical treatment to jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan would amount to criminal negligence.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Sanaullah — who is also the prime minister's adviser on public and political affairs — said that the opposition wanted to raise the issue of Khan's health, particularly an eye problem, but maintained that the facts had already been clarified before the Supreme Court.
The remarks come a day after Khan was quoted in a medical report as saying that he has been left with only 15% vision in his right eye.
A seven-page report was submitted to the SC by PTI counsel Salman Safdar regarding the PTI founder's living conditions in Adiala jail.
Following a three-hour meeting with Khan at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, Barrister Safdar submitted a report on the ousted prime minister’s health.
Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023, faces several cases ranging from corruption to terrorism, following his ouster from power through the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022.
Referring to claims circulating that the PTI founder had been suffering from an eye problem for the past four months and was denied timely medical care, Sanaullah — in today's address — said that if anyone had actually failed to provide treatment, such conduct would amount to criminal negligence and was unacceptable.
However, he stressed that if the facts were otherwise, then projecting the issue for political purposes would itself be a wrongful act.
The senator said he could state on record that Khan first raised the complaint about his eye in the first week of January. "Following the complaint, the jail doctor provided eye drops, which he used for three to four days," he added.
He further said the PTI founder was examined on January 16, while a medical team carried out a fresh examination and conducted tests on January 19. He added that an injection was administered on January 24.
“These details are available in official documents,” he told the Senate, adding that he was ready to hand over the record to the leader of the opposition if required.
Rejecting the claim that the complaint had been ongoing for four months, Sanaullah said the PTI founder was examined by the jail doctor every second day and that whenever he raised any medical concern, a check-up was carried out.
He further stated that the PTI founder had been examined by external doctors on 25 occasions. According to him, during a medical check-up on December 9, the PTI founder did not raise any complaint regarding his eye.
Sanaullah said that the PTI founder’s sister met him on December 2 and had stated that his health was completely fine. He added that the PTI founder also did not mention any eye problem to his sister during that meeting.
He said a meeting of the medical board was held on December 9, during which the PTI founder again did not refer to any eye issue.
The senator maintained that when Khan raised the matter in January, medical facilities were provided immediately. He said describing the issue as a three-to-four-month delay was purely political.
Sanaullah also told the House that no request was filed before the Supreme Court seeking the PTI founder’s admission to a private hospital. He said the government had given an assurance that the PTI founder could be examined by any doctor of his choice.
He noted that there was now no ambiguity regarding the living arrangements of the PTI founder and that the situation had been placed clearly on record.
Separately, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi — while talking to reporters at anti-terrorism court in Lahore — said he was deeply saddened to learn about the eye-related health issue of Imran Khan, adding that there was nothing he could do except pray for him.
He said prisoners have legal and constitutional rights which must be ensured, and providing medical facilities to inmates is the responsibility of the jail administration.
Qureshi said that PTI leader Mehmood ur Rasheed was scheduled to be taken to hospital for a medical check-up, but the jail authorities informed them that it could not be arranged due to the unavailability of security.
He added that in Lahore, the treatment of Yasmin Rashid could also not be carried out because of the same reason — lack of security.
Referring to his own health, Qureshi said his treatment was currently underway at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI) and that there was a possibility he could avoid surgery.
However, he said he was not being taken to PKLI because police security had not been provided.
Holding the provincial administration responsible, Qureshi said he blamed the Punjab government for the entire situation.
He further warned that if Imran were to lose his eyesight, the responsibility would rest with the jail administration and the government.
Qureshi also said it was deeply painful to see the tears of Aleema Khan. He added that he wanted to see peace in the country and did not wish to witness further political tension or public anxiety.
