The information about the hospitalization of Bushra Bibi appeared early in the morning when the PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, revealed that she was transferred out of her prison cell to a special eye care hospital in Rawalpindi. Jail officials said the transfer was upon the recommendation of the medical board in the prison that the surgery could be done without delay to avoid irreparable loss of vision.
Diagnosis of Retinal Detachment and Emergency Surgery
According to medical reports, issued by the jail administration, Bushra Bibi had been having some blurred vision and black spots in her right eye, several days before. On a check-up by a team of ophthalmologists, she was found to have retinal detachment, which is a life-threatening situation when the thin tissue at the back of the eye detaches itself.
Professor Dr. Nadeem Qureshi, a distinguished retina specialist and a team of specialists were involved in the surgical operation, which was carried out in a private hospital (some sources identify it as Al Shifa Eye Hospital). The operation, done late on Thursday evening, was aimed at re-attaching the retina so as to stabilize her vision. According to medical officials, the procedure has been successful but it is important to note that the post-operative care must be conducted strictly.
Discharge and Return to Adiala Jail
Post-surgical, Bushra Bibi spent a night in a high-security ward. After a last examination this afternoon, physicians announced her well enough to travel. With a heavy security escort by the Punjab Police and jail wardens, she was taken back to Adiala Jail, where she is presently serving sentences concerning the Toshakhana-2 and £190 million corruption cases.
According to jail sources, a special medical program has been designed to restore her in the prison facility, which includes frequent intake of eye drops and periodic follow up by the surgical staff.
PTI Leadership Expresses Deep Health Concerns
The leadership in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has expressed grave concern over her health conditions. According to barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the surgery is needed, but the party is still apprehensive of the hygienic conditions and the unavailability of medical attention in a timely manner that was given to the former first lady.
The party has officially asked the Ministry of Interior and the Punjab Prisons Department to permit her personal physicians and family members to keep an eye on her recovery procedure because access to relatives is a basic right of law and should not be disallowed in situations of medical emergency.
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