Bushra shifted back to jail after eye surgery

Procedure performed at a private hospital in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD:

Bushra Bibi, the wife of incarcerated former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, was moved back to Adiala jail on Friday after a crucial eye surgery in Rawalpindi, officials said, as concerns over her health continue to ripple through political circles.

According to jail officials, ophthalmologists diagnosed retinal detachment, a condition which requires immediate intervention.

She was shifted to a private hospital on Thursday evening, where she underwent pre-operative tests and subsequently consented to surgery.

The procedure was carried out by Professor Dr Nadeem Qureshi along with a medical panel, after which she was discharged following an overnight stay and returned to custody.

"The patient was discharged after the surgery and one night's hospital stay," the superintendent said, adding that she had been taken back to Adiala jail. "Post-operative examinations and follow-up will be done as per the doctors' advice," he said.

Earlier, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had confirmed her hospitalisation. "I was informed [through] a message that Bushra [Bibi] had been shifted to the hospital last night and that I would be briefed about the treatment," Gohar said on X.

He added that he would request that her family members be allowed to meet her, as well as that Imran Khan's family be allowed to meet with him and that he be moved to the hospital for treatment.

"The earlier, the better. It is their basic right according to law," he said. "Their health is too serious and every Pakistani is deeply concerned."

Shortly afterwards, Bushra Bibi's sister, Maryam Riaz Wattoo, said the family had arrived in Islamabad ahead of the procedure.

"She will be going through a crucial surgery today. Please pray for her," she said on X.

Concerns around her condition had already been mounting after a document dated March 28 surfaced online, indicating that a doctor at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) had examined her and noted a "history of blurring of vision and a black spot in the right eye for the past 11 days".

"She also complained of headache and flashes in the right eye," the document said.

Separately, PTI stated that Bushra Bibi had reportedly been diagnosed with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), along with myopia and astigmatism, describing the development as "deeply concerning".