Imran Khan's Hospital Transfer Sparks Allegations of Court Order Violation
Imran Khan's family and party allege authorities violated a Supreme Court order by taking him to a government hospital instead of a private facility for medical checks.
The family and political party of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have accused authorities of breaching a Supreme Court directive by transporting him to a government-run hospital for a medical examination, rather than the private facility specified by the court.
Khan's sister, Uzma Khan, told reporters she was at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad when her brother was brought there overnight. She said Khan complained about being held in solitary confinement, which she described as a form of mental torture.
Khan's personal physician, Faisal Sultan, said he had been taken to Shifa International Hospital and waited there until early Friday, only to be informed that Khan had been returned to Adiala prison in Rawalpindi.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Khan was brought back to prison after doctors found him medically fit. He explained that authorities took Khan to the public hospital due to security concerns, citing gatherings of Khan's supporters outside the private facility. Heavy security was deployed around Shifa International Hospital, where dozens of journalists had assembled overnight.
Senior party leader Suhail Afridi also accused the government of violating the court's order. The Supreme Court had ruled on Tuesday that Khan should be examined at Shifa International Hospital by a medical board including specialists and one of his personal physicians. A government minister had earlier stated the administration would fully comply with the ruling.
The government maintains that prison rules allow for inmates to receive treatment in prison and be transferred to government hospitals when necessary.
Concerns over Khan's health grew in late January after his family claimed he had lost approximately 85% of vision in his right eye, a claim disputed by authorities, who later said his condition was improving.
Khan, a former cricket star, was removed from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary no-confidence vote and has been imprisoned since 2023 following convictions in multiple cases.