PIMS says it will not disclose confidential contents of Imran Khan’s medical report

Two specialists from Shifa International Hospital took part in examining the eyes of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), hospital administration said on Saturday.

According to a PIMS statement, Khan was brought to the hospital during the night between August 20 and 21 for a medical examination and treatment.

The statement said that the Shifa specialists examined Khan’s eyes while relevant PIMS specialists conducted other medical examinations.

The medical opinion from the eye examination was considered alongside the results of other medical investigations, after which a medical board comprising PIMS doctors finalised the medical fitness report.

PIMS added that it would not disclose the confidential contents of Khan’s medical report, citing patient confidentiality and Supreme Court’s (SC) directives.

Earlier this week, the SC had ordered authorities to shift Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a medical check-up and comprehensive examination. The court had also directed that he be allowed access to a medical panel including his personal physician.

However, Khan was taken to PIMS instead of Shifa on Thursday night. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the change was made due to a “security situation created by PTI workers” along the planned route.

Khan was later taken back to Adiala jail in Rawalpindi at around 5am on Friday, Tarar said.

Tarar said in a social media post that Khan was completely healthy.

“A team of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist and a physician, conducted a detailed examination of him and declared him medically fit,” Tarar said on Friday morning.

PTI said that the decision to take Khan to PIMS instead of Shifa and deny him access to his personal physician amounted to a violation of the Supreme Court’s order.

The party said it would file a contempt petition over what it described as a violation of the court’s directives.

Khan’s sister Uzma Khan, who was present during his medical examination, told reporters that Khan said he was being tortured “repeatedly” in prison.

There was no immediate response from spokespersons for the interior and law ministries or jail authorities to a request for comment on Khan’s allegations.

Khan had a patch over one eye but appeared stable and fit, his sister said.