Islamabad, 08 November (H.S.): Bushra Bibi, wife of former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who is lodged at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, has approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) with a petition seeking an immediate examination by a specialist doctor at her own expense, citing concerns over her deteriorating eyesight. She is currently imprisoned in the same jail as her husband.

According to a report by The News, Bushra Bibi has filed a miscellaneous application in connection with her pending appeals in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, seeking permission to receive medical examination and treatment from doctors of her choice at her own expense. She has also requested the court to direct the Adiala Jail authorities to produce her complete medical records and submit a fresh, comprehensive medical report detailing her condition, diagnosis and treatment.

Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan were convicted and sentenced by an accountability court in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case. In January 2025, Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana sentenced Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife to seven years. The former prime minister was also fined Rs. 10 lakh, while Bushra Bibi was fined Rs. 5 lakh.

The application also seeks an immediate consultation with an ophthalmologist in the presence of the jail medical officer, as well as arrangements for necessary treatment at a specialised medical facility outside the prison.

Barrister Salman Safdar, the lawyer representing Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan, has also submitted an affidavit before the High Court detailing his recent meeting with the incarcerated couple at Adiala Jail on November 2.

According to the affidavit, Bushra Bibi was wearing exceptionally dark-tinted glasses during the meeting. However, when she removed them at the request of Safdar and Imran Khan, she appeared to be in considerable distress.

According to the lawyer, Bushra Bibi was unable to tolerate either sunlight or artificial light and could not open her eyes without protective glasses. The affidavit further stated that Imran Khan was also visibly concerned about his wife's deteriorating eyesight.

In her application, Bushra Bibi informed Safdar that doctors who had examined her had diagnosed her with a mature cataract and advised her to undergo another eye operation around November 15.

The application also stated that Bushra Bibi had expressed dissatisfaction with the standards of cleanliness at Adiala Jail and the medical treatment being provided to her. She has sought permission to undergo medical examinations and receive treatment from doctors of her choice.

The application also referred to a medical report submitted before the Supreme Court in August, which detailed her longstanding eye-related complications and subsequent treatment, including surgery at the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi.

The Islamabad High Court has been requested to direct the Adiala Jail Superintendent to submit Bushra Bibi's complete medical records, along with a fresh and detailed medical report containing information about her diagnosis, eye examinations and treatment.

Citing the rapid deterioration of her eyesight, Bushra Bibi has also sought an immediate consultation with a specialist ophthalmologist of her choice, in the presence of the jail medical officer, at her own expense.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar