By Zahid Shah 

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A firestorm of political accusations and family grief erupted on Tuesday after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was rushed to a government hospital in the middle of the night for an eye procedure, with his sisters alleging a dangerous cover-up and demanding transparency over what they claim is a rapidly deteriorating health situation.

The 74-year-old opposition leader, who has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail for over two years, was transported under tight security to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the early hours of Tuesday for the second dose of an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection to treat a serious eye condition.

While officials stated he was returned to jail after being declared "clinically stable," the news has ignited fresh fears and fury, amplified by speculation on social media regarding his overall physical condition.

The former prime minister's health woes extend beyond his vision. According to the official press release from PIMS, prior to his eye procedure, Mr. Khan was examined by a board of specialists that notably included a Consultant Cardiologist who performed both an Echocardiography and an ECG.

While the hospital reported the tests as "NORMAL."

However, the inclusion of cardiac tests has fueled intense speculation online, with many on social media questioning whether the former premier is suffering from heart-related issues in addition to his reported eye condition.

Medical experts note that the diagnosis for his eye issue -- Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO) -- is often linked to underlying cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, which explains the necessity for the cardiac workup.

Supporters are accusing authorities of concealing the real reports, but the government insists he is fine and has shared all information through the PIMS statement.

Despite the government's assurances of normal results, the opposition views the very need for such tests as proof of neglect.

- Khan's family reaction

The government's statement was met with outright rejection by Mr. Khan's family. His sister, Aleema Khan, took to X, questioning why the family was kept in the dark.

"From the news, we found out that Imran Khan was taken to PIMS again in the middle of the night, supposedly for his second injection in the eye," she wrote. "When the law requires that the family be informed before any medical procedure is conducted on a prisoner, why was the family not informed?"

She alleged that doctors at PIMS were being threatened to prevent leaks and reiterated the family's complete distrust of government medical facilities.

"We do not trust the diagnosis or test reports from Government medical facilities... PIMS (Govt Hospital) is not equipped to treat anyone for the alleged condition that has developed in Imran Khan’s eye," she stated, demanding his immediate shift to Shifa International Hospital under the supervision of his personal physicians, Dr. Asim and Dr. Faisal, and in the presence of family members.

Her sister, Dr. Uzma Khan, a medical doctor herself, also rejected the official reports, backing the demand for independent oversight. The family's distrust was further inflamed when police blocked them from reaching Adiala Jail to see their brother. Aleema Khan posted that the road had been "deliberately blocked to prevent us from proceeding any further".

Raising serious questions about transparency, Aleema Khan demanded to know why the family is blocked from meeting Imran Khan and why his personal doctors are forbidden from examining him if the government has "nothing to hide."

She highlighted his prolonged solitary confinement -- with only three short family visits since December -- as further evidence of a cover-up. The family's demand remains unchanged, she stated: Imran Khan must be treated at Shifa International Hospital under his own doctors' supervision and with family present.

- Previous Eye issue 

The current crisis is rooted in a medical report submitted to the Supreme Court earlier this month, which revealed that Mr. Khan has lost approximately 85% of the vision in his right eye due to CRVO.

His legal team and family have alleged that this deterioration was a direct result of deliberate medical neglect and delayed treatment while in custody. His son, Kasim, previously described the vision loss as "a direct consequence of solitary confinement and medical neglect".

This allegation has ignited countrywide protests. The opposition alliance, including Mr. Khan’s PTI party, has held daily demonstrations outside the parliament, demanding a transparent medical examination. PTI lawmakers have made attendance at these protests compulsory, and party leaders have declared they do not trust "any government report".

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi echoed the family's demands, stating that bringing Mr. Khan to PIMS without informing his family or personal doctors "is a crime under the law" and amounts to "mocking his health".

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan confirmed he was only informed via a message at 2 a.m. and had no prior knowledge of the procedure.

As the political temperature soars, the central question posed by the Khan family echoes across the nation: "What are they hiding?"