The sister of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has alleged that authorities are denying him necessary medical treatment in prison, including for a serious eye condition, and preventing family access for months. Naureen Niazi told RT that neither family-appointed doctors nor relatives have been permitted to see Khan since November 2023, making it impossible to verify official statements about his health.
Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 following a conviction for illegally buying and selling state gifts. That sentence was later suspended. In January 2025, he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, received a 14-year sentence in a separate land corruption case, which they have denied as politically motivated. Khan also faces a ten-year sentence from 2024 for leaking state secrets, a charge he denies. His legal team argues the cases are part of a campaign to sideline him from politics.
Niazi’s allegations centre on Khan’s deteriorating eyesight. A report by court-appointed lawyer Salman Safdar to Pakistan’s Supreme Court stated Khan is left with just 15% vision in his right eye after jail authorities allegedly ignored his complaints for months. “No action was taken by the jail authorities to address these complaints,” the report noted. Niazi said her brother had repeatedly informed the jail superintendent about severe eye pain.
In response to the concerns, Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered a separate medical panel to examine Khan and permitted him phone contact with his sons. The court’s intervention highlights the ongoing judicial scrutiny of his detention.
Khan, a former cricket star who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, claims his ouster in a 2022 no-confidence vote was the result of a U.S. conspiracy due to his foreign policy stance, including ties with Russia. His arrest and subsequent sentences have triggered nationwide protests, some turning violent, underscoring the country’s deep political polarization.
The allegations of medical neglect add another layer to the international attention on Khan’s imprisonment. Authorities have yet to publicly respond to the specific medical claims. The Supreme Court’s directive for a fresh medical evaluation represents the next procedural step in a case that continues to test Pakistan’s judicial and correctional systems while fueling public dissent.
