LAHORE, May 18: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan is likely to be discharged from hospital on Monday or Tuesday.

The decision was taken by a team of senior doctors on the basis of fresh MRI report on Saturday.

Mr Khan had suffered head and back injuries when he fell from a forklift on May 8 that was carrying him up on the dais to address a public meeting in Gulberg’s Ghalib Market -- the first of eight public meetings he had scheduled in Lahore.

Headed by Chief Executive of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (SKMCH&RC), a team of senior orthopaedic and neurosurgeons continued to provide treatment to him from day one.

“According to Saturday’s MRI report three ‘problematic’ discs of backbone of Mr Khan have now taken original shape”, SKMCH&RC Media Officer Raheel Naseem told Dawn. He said the treating doctors, after analysing the MRI report and comparing it with the previous one, described it as a healthy sign of fast recovery of Mr Khan from the backbone injuries.

The injury to his back had caused no neurologic damage and the strength and mobility of his limbs remained undiminished, he said.

He said Mr Khan’s pain had lessened and “he now only needs pain-killers occasionally.” “He is now able to sit on the bed and is receiving regular physiotherapy,” Mr Raheel said.

He said Mr Khan would have to take bed-rest for two weeks from the period of his discharge from hospital. Afterwards, he would be required to wear a special support for his back for some weeks but would be fully mobile with this.