Poor optics

THE controversy surrounding the medical care, or lack thereof, given to incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan has shone a harsh spotlight on the intersection of politics and basic human rights in today’s Pakistan. Speaking on Tuesday, the interior minister accused the jailed leader’s sister, Aleema Khan, of “delaying” Mr Khan’s medical checkup for three days, allegedly so she could ‘do politics’ over his health. “Alm­ost all political leaders were on board, but Aleema Khan sahiba vetoed them,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed. According to the minister, her insistence that Mr Khan’s checkup and treatment be conducted under specific circumstances was merely a means to keep the matter of his deteriorating health alive for as long as possible. But while the opposition TTAP alliance quickly dismissed Mr Naqvi’s statement as “blatantly misleading and contrary to the facts”, remarks made by some PTI leaders regarding Mr Naqvi’s role and their interactions with the government seemed to partially endorse it. Mr Khan’s sisters later made a set of counterclaims in their own press conference, presenting a very different picture compared to the interior minister’s version of events. According to them, their brother was “not fine”. They recalled he was not given prompt treatment when he flagged his eye condition some three months ago to jail authorities. They also claimed that the government had reneged on its promises to transfer Mr Khan to a private hospital and to grant the family access to the doctors nominated by it. From where things stand, it is very difficult to ascertain how much of what each party says is true. Clearly, there is significant disagreement within the PTI camp concerning the right course of action regarding Imran Khan’s health, with some leaders seemingly willing to trust the government’s handling of his condition, while others, especially his family, insist on personal oversight. That said, the government is also not without blame for how it has mismanaged the jailed leader’s health. It may be recalled that officials had initially denied that anything was wrong with Mr Khan, and the truth only came out after information regarding his visit to Pims in Islamabad was leaked to the press. By mishandling its communications on the matter, the government itself gave good reason for the family to doubt it can promise the former prime minister’s well-being, and it cannot now blame his sisters for wanting more oversight over his treatment by doctors they trust. Therefore, while the PTI and Mr Khan’s family need to firmly decide what it is that they want, the government must also respect their wishes and ensure much greater transparency in how it is dealing with Mr Khan’s ailment. It must also ensure his sons can visit him. No one’s health should be held hostage to political bickering. Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2026

By none@none.com (Editorial)