Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accused the federal government of denying adequate medical treatment to former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, local media reported Saturday.
The leaders also accused the Pakistani government of obstructing access for family members and party officials, arguing that these restrictions constitute a violation of rights.
Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information and Public Relations Minister Shafi Jan alleged that both Khan and Bushra Bibi were being denied proper healthcare and contact with family members despite growing concerns over their health.
He said that Khan had been battling an eye ailment for the past four months and that his vision has not yet fully recovered.
Jan claimed that both Khan and Bushra Bibi were taken to a hospital at night for medical treatment in a manner that breached jail regulations.
He alleged that while the party was informed that the treatment continued for three hours, no verified medical details had been shared, as reported by the Pakistani daily Dawn.
The minister called on the authorities to grant Khan and Bushra Bibi access to their personal physicians and facilitate their transfer to Shifa International Hospital for comprehensive medical treatment.
Raising concerns over alleged unequal treatment of political leaders, Jan claimed that former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had access to extensive facilities and visitors during his incarceration, whereas similar privileges were being denied to Khan.
The minister claimed that continued curbs on meetings with Khan were in violation of court orders and constituted contempt of court.
He further slammed the federal government over economic challenges, alleging that inflation and unemployment had reached critical levels, while recent hikes in fuel prices had intensified pressure on the public.
Last month, Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, had approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the alleged solitary confinement of her brother, local media reported.
The petition filed by Aleema Khan has contended that keeping Khan in solitary confinement is unlawful and not backed by any judicial order, Pakistan’s leading Geo News reported.
The former PM has remained in prison since August 2023 after convictions that PTI 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.
Earlier in January 2025, Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted in the £190m Al-Qadir University Project Trust case. Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Bushra Bibi received a seven-year jail term.
