IHC issues notices on Imran treatment plea

The capital's high court on Tuesday removed the office's objections to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's plea for immediate transfer to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital for his eye treatment and issued notices to respondents.

The court will hear the plea on March 10.

A division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Khadim Hussin Soomro heard the criminal miscellaneous application submitted by Imran's counsel Latif Khosa as part of the PTI founder and his wife's main appeals against their conviction in the Toshakhana—gift repository case.

During the proceedings, the court asked why it should not also hear the main appeal.

Latif Khosa said that the PTI founder's health is also an issue, so the application for his transfer to a hospital should also be heard urgently. He requested the court to take up the plea as early as tomorrow and also issue an order allowing his meeting with the PTI founder.

Imran's vision 'improved'

PIMS said on Tuesday that Imran has shown significant improvement in his vision following his second dose of intravitreal anti-VEGF injection.

"The results are encouraging. His vision has improved remarkably, and it is at a substantially good level at this stage," read a statement issued by PIMS.

A statement issued on Tuesday by PIMS said further said that Imran's examination was conducted at Adiala jail by Dr Nadeem Qureshi, head of the Vitreoretinal Department at Rawalpindi's Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, and Professor Dr Arif Khan, head of PIMS' Ophthalmology Department.

PTI immediately rejected the statement, arguing that "any medical examination conducted without the presence of his personal physicians and immediate family lacks transparency and credibility."

Pre-arrest bail

A district and sessions court in Islamabad granted pre-arrest bail to PTI founder in six cases and to his wife, Bushra Bibi, in one case.