ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan said on Thursday that all necessary medical facilities are being provided to jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, urging the opposition not to politicise his health.
Speaking in response to points raised by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Rana Sanaullah said health and medical treatment are fundamental human rights and must be ensured for every prisoner.
The advisor said a report submitted to the Supreme Court by court-appointed Amicus Curiae Salman Safdar confirmed that all required facilities were being provided to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder at Adiala Jail.
“The report details all facilities, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, medical care and consultation,” he said. “It also disproves claims of solitary confinement.”
Supreme Court proceedings
Rana Sanaullah said the Chief Justice of Pakistan had noted that the reports submitted by Salman Safdar and the jail superintendent were consistent.
He added that Imran Khan had not claimed he was denied treatment, but had expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of care.
“Whenever he raised complaints, treatment was arranged,” he said, adding that Khan was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad for eye treatment.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court directed authorities to constitute a medical board to examine Khan’s eyes and ordered that the examination be conducted before February 16.
Rana Sanaullah warned that politicising the PTI founder’s eye condition was inappropriate.
“It is a crime for the government or jail authorities to play politics over prisoners’ health,” he said, urging the opposition to refrain from using health issues for political purposes.
Details from court-appointed report
In a seven-page report submitted to the apex court after visiting Adiala Jail, PTI counsel Salman Safdar outlined Khan’s daily routine and prison conditions.
According to the report, Khan said his daily routine varies between summer and winter.
Khan takes breakfast at around 9:45am, which consists of coffee, porridge and dates. He then exercises using available equipment, including an exercise bike, two nine-kilogram weights and a bar.
At about 1:15pm, after showering, he is permitted to access a secured strolling shed within the compound, where he may sit or walk. Lunch is taken between 3:30pm and 4:00pm, followed by a brief walk at around 5:00pm.
Safdar’s report said Khan selects his weekly meal plan. It includes two days of chicken, two days of meat, two days of lentils and occasional snacks. Bottled drinking water is available to him, according to the report.
For dinner, Khan told the PTI counsel that he does not eat a full meal. “At night, I do not eat a full meal. I eat fruit, drink milk, and have dates,” the report quoted him as saying.
Khan said his cell has adequate air and lighting, though he is not permitted to keep knives, forks or other utensils inside.
Corruption cases
Imran Khan has been in custody since his arrest on May 9, 2023, by the National Accountability Bureau in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
In January 2025, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the case. Prosecutors claimed that Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, received land as a bribe from a real estate tycoon through the Al-Qadir Trust, which they had established while he was in office.
Investigators said Khan used £190 million ($232 million) repatriated by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency to settle the tycoon’s court fines.
Khan has also received a separate 14-year sentence in a case related to the sale of state gifts, and another 10-year sentence for leaking state secrets.
He faces numerous criminal cases, with some at the bail stage, others under trial and several at the appellate stage.
The government says it will comply fully with the Supreme Court’s directions regarding Khan’s medical examination.
