Fresh political friction grips Pakistan over the eye treatment of PTI founder Imran Khan. His February 24 follow-up at PIMS—second anti-VEGF dose for CRVO—has PTI questioning government opacity, turning a health matter into a partisan standoff.
January’s initial diagnosis and procedure set the tone: belated official word, sparking PTI claims of transparency lapses, treatment shortfalls, and doctor access barriers. The state rebuts, upholding procedural integrity.
PIMS accounts detail a robust setup: specialist board review, cardiologist-led heart tests, physician oversight. Rawalpindi Al-Shifa and PIMS vitreo-retinal pros guided the intravitreal shot. Khan remained steady pre-, during, and post-op, exiting as a day patient with full instructions.
Shifa International looms large in PTI’s narrative as the ideal venue for unbiased care. When Minister Chaudhry posted on X about secure logistics and the upcoming March injection, PTI pounced: ‘Transparency, not cover-ups!’ They probe deeper: what’s being concealed?
This episode exposes raw nerves in Pakistan’s polity, where Khan’s welfare symbolizes resistance. Beyond rhetoric, it probes commitments to human rights amid security. Until transparency prevails, skepticism—and politics—will dominate headlines.