Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and World Cup-winning cricket captain Imran Khan appears no closer to the end of his ongoing legal and personal ordeal. After facing serious health challenges while in detention, Khan has now raised concerns about the treatment of his wife, Bushra Bibi. He has strongly criticized Pakistan’s judicial system, describing her situation as “inhumane” and alleging that authorities are using her as a means to “blackmail” him. These remarks were conveyed through his son, Kasim, following a conversation over the Eid weekend.
According to a report by The Independent, Khan stated: “The judges in this country should be ashamed of themselves. Time and again, we have approached the judiciary, but they have sold their souls for personal gain. They know they cannot break me, so they turn to my wife. How can they allow this inhumane treatment of Bushra Bibi, simply to blackmail me?”
Khan further claimed that his wife is being held in complete isolation. “She is kept in total seclusion, permitted only 30 minutes with me per week, and even that is often denied,” he alleged.
The former cricketer’s health condition has also drawn international attention. He recently received treatment for an eye condition after his legal team reported that he had lost 85% of the vision in his right eye. This development prompted 14 international cricket figures, including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, to write to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging that Khan be treated with “dignity and basic human consideration.”
Imran Khan’s Health Crisis in Detention
Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 under multiple legal charges. In March 2026, following an order from the Islamabad High Court, a five-member medical board examined him at Adiala Jail. The board confirmed that he is suffering from Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO), a serious medical condition often associated with cardiovascular risks, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and one that can lead to permanent vision loss.
While the government maintains that his detention is strictly a legal matter, the combination of his prolonged imprisonment and worsening health has intensified debate over the fairness of his treatment, further escalating tensions within Pakistan’s already volatile political landscape.
