Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was moved from Adiala Jail to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for his fourth eye procedure on Tuesday.
The hospital spokesperson confirmed that Khan received an intravitreal anti-VEGF injection and was discharged later the same morning.
The 74-year-old politician is suffering from right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), a condition that first became public in late January. Records show his first procedure took place on January 24, followed by a second dose on February 24 and a third on March 23.
This latest treatment follows a pattern of monthly follow-ups.
According to the PIMS spokesperson, ophthalmologists examined Khan before the surgery and declared him clinically stable. The hospital conducted an optical coherence tomography, which reportedly showed clinical improvement in the eye.
“After obtaining informed consent and under standard monitoring, adopting all standard precautionary measures and protocols in the operating theatre, he was injected with a fourth dose of intravitreal injection under the guidance of microscopy by the surgeons,” the spokesperson stated.
The hospital classified the procedure as a ‘day care surgery’. Officials noted that Khan remained vitally stable throughout his stay and was provided with instructions for further care and follow-up documentation upon his discharge.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed the medical visit via a post on X. However, the party leadership maintained their demand for Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, to be shifted to a hospital permanently.
“Whatever the treatment, our concern remains unanswered,” Gohar said. He emphasised the party’s stance that the couple should receive treatment under the supervision of personal doctors accompanied by family members, calling the demand a fundamental right.
This fourth injection comes despite earlier assessments from medical professionals. Following the March procedure, a senior doctor at PIMS noted that typically only three injections are administered in such cases, suggesting a fourth might not be necessary.
The decision to proceed with this latest dose was made after assessing the impact of previous treatments over a four-week period.
The medical status of the former premier remains a point of contention between the government and the opposition.
PTI continues to allege a lack of transparency regarding the treatment and has requested that Khan be moved to Shifa International Hospital. The government has repeatedly denied claims that appropriate medical access is being withheld. Khan’s spouse, Bushra Bibi, also underwent eye surgery at a Rawalpindi hospital on April 17.
