Pakistan's jailed ex-PM Khan undergoes eye treatment at hospital

Pakistani former prime minister Imran Khan briefly left prison for an overnight eye examination and treatment, the Islamabad hospital that conducted the procedure said on Wednesday.

Khan, who served as premier from 2018 to 2022, has been behind bars since August 2023 and faces scores of charges ranging from corruption to treason following anti-establishment riots.

The former cricket star, 74, and his legal team reject the allegations, branding them as politically motivated cases aimed at neutralising his popularity.

Khan "was brought from Central Jail Adiyala, Rawalpindi, to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, during the intervening night of 10 to 11 November 2026 for a medical check-up and follow-up eye treatment", the hospital said in a statement.

"During his stay at PIMS, he remained vitally stable before, during and after the procedure," it said, adding he had been discharged at 2:30 am (2130 GMT).

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said the hospitalisation "raises deeply troubling questions about his health... and the transparency surrounding his condition".

"A human being's health is not a political bargaining chip. Nor can the medical treatment of a former Prime Minister be reduced to a procedural formality," the PTI said, adding the "state bears full responsibility for his safety and well-being".

Pakistan's interior ministry and information ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment by AFP.

In October, discontent over Khan's incarceration mounted with thousands protesting in the PTI's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stronghold, particularly over his medical treatment and access to him by doctors and family.

The Supreme Court ruled in August that Khan should be moved to a civilian hospital for treatment, but authorities instead returned him to prison after a short stay at a government-run hospital.

Once backed by the country's powerful military establishment during his rise to power, Khan fell out over key appointments and foreign policy issues before being ousted in a parliamentary vote of no confidence in 2022.

He has publicly accused the military leadership, including Army Chief General Asim Munir, of orchestrating his removal. The military denies meddling in politics.