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Top eye specialists need to head to Adyala. They need to do so without a second’s delay. That’s the bottom line. Simple.
The opposition is up in arms ever since Advocate Salman Safdar’s report came into public view. Appointed by the Supreme Court to visit Imran Khan in jail and report on his condition, the lawyer submitted a detailed document after spending time with the incarcerated leader. The most shocking and disturbing revelation in the report is the deteriorating condition of Khan’s eye. Khan is quoted in the report as saying he has been suffering blurry vision since October last year, and despite repeated requests for an eye check-up, it was only in January this year that he was taken to PIMS hospital. Khan tells Salman Safdar he has only 15 per cent vision left in one eye.
Since this news broke, government spokespersons have been mumbling silly justifications for the delay in his treatment while the opposition is crying hoarse inside and outside the parliament. The situation is grim. Things need to move fast.
There are a million questions that should be asked of the authorities. Asked, they must. But for now, the most important and urgent task is to provide Khan the medical treatment he requires. It is inexplicable why the government is dragging its feet on the matter. From whatever information is available, experts suggest Khan’s eye complication can be serious. Time is of essence. Instead of making speeches in the House trying to defend the indefensible, or having police block the opposition from holding a sit-in outside the parliament, or coming on TV and transferring all responsibility to the Supreme Court, the government should be constituting a panel of top doctors and sending them to see Khan at Adyala. This is a no-brainer. But clearly, it ain’t.
The proof is littered across media platforms where government ministers continue to make an embarrassment of themselves. The argument they are peddling is this: we are waiting for the Supreme Court to constitute a medical board. Once that is done, we will facilitate them, and Khan, as much as needed. Till, then, we wait for court orders.
This is a ridiculous argument. There is nothing stopping the government from sending a team of doctors to Adyala immediately. There is no need to wait for court orders. In fact, there is no need to even wait for the team to go to prison. They won’t have access to all equipment and facilities needed to conduct tests and provide treatment. It makes more sense for Khan to be brought to a hospital where everything and everyone is available. Yet, the government continues to spin weak logic at a time when time is of the essence.
Such weak logic is manifesting itself in a needless argument over the timing of Khan’s eye complications. The Salman Safdar report quotes Khan as saying the problem started in October last year. Government ministers argue Khan did not inform doctors about it during his regular medical checks. They say the ailment was flagged in January this year and that’s why Khan was taken to PIMS hospital for treatment.
Whatever the case may be, it is irrelevant now. Whether it was October, or November of whenever, the fact is that Khan has this problem now. His eye needs to be treated at the earliest. That’s it. Irrelevant arguments about timing make the government looks worse. Is there none among a galaxy of cabinet luminaries who can cut through the needless verbiage and get to the core issue?
The answer may surprise you. Not because there are none who understand the sensitivity of the situation, but because on the issue of Khan – even something as critical and urgent as his health – no one wants to break ranks and stick his or her neck out. Who knows who might take umbrage? Privately many sane and rational people in the government will be shaking their heads in frustration on the insensitive and tone-deaf way this issue is being (mis)handled, but publicly they will follow the script. This is the misfortune of our political culture.
Such misfortune was also on display when PTI people had mocked the ailments of Kulsoom Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif. It was painful to watch that then, and it is painful to watch this now. Is no one ready and willing to learn lessons? The downward spiral of political polarisation is injecting poison in our politics that will not be easy to extract any time soon.
It will be even less easy to control the situation if lack of urgent treatment leads to any further health complication for Khan. Politicians are fond of reminding everyone how important timing is in politics. Well, now is the time they should act upon their own advice.
Get the doctors moving.
Postscript: This week well-known politician Zaeem Qadri breathed his last in Lahore. He was associated with PML-N for a long time and later became one of the founders of Awam Pakistan party. Zaeem bhai, as he was known to me, was a kind-hearted, warm and genuine person, as well as great company. He was passionate about politics and public duty and practised both with sincerity and dedication. He will be greatly missed. May Allah SWT grant him a place in Heaven, Ameen.
