Imran Khan
Big relief for Imran Khan: Pakistan Supreme Court orders hospital transfer amid health fears
Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that former Prime Minister Imran Khan be transferred to Shifa International Hospital amid growing concerns over his health, providing relief to the jailed PTI chief.
Khan, who is also one of Pakistan’s most celebrated sports personalities, has been imprisoned at Adiala Jail for nearly three years.
A three-member bench issued the order while directing authorities to constitute a medical board to assess Khan’s condition. The court also ordered that he be shifted to the hospital under tight security, reported Dunya News.
The court directed authorities to ensure that the security situation around the hospital remains under control.
The order came amid longstanding demands from Khan’s family and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for his transfer to a hospital in view of his reported deteriorating health.
During the hearing, the apex court also questioned restrictions on meetings between Khan and his sisters.
The judges observed that meeting family members was a fundamental right and questioned why directions issued by the Islamabad High Court were allegedly not being followed.
The Supreme Court directed Adiala Jail authorities to provide records of meetings between Khan and his family over the past three years and explain why the Islamabad High Court’s directions were allegedly not implemented, Dunya News reported.
The court also directed the PTI not to politicise Khan’s medical treatment.
Khan has remained in prison after being convicted in a series of cases, which he has described as politically motivated following his ouster from power in 2022.
Expressing concern over Khan’s health, former Pakistan President Arif Alvi wrote on X that his medical reports were “alarming” and said he had reviewed them with several specialists.
“Imran Khan definitely needs to be moved to a hospital environment now, under an independent panel of doctors,” Alvi said, adding that Khan’s family and the Pakistani public did not trust government-appointed doctors alone.
Alvi also alleged that medical reports had been manipulated in the past, citing platelet counts as an example.
Khan lost power in April 2022 after his government was defeated in a no-confidence motion.
The PTI had swept to power in the 2018 general elections, securing strong support across several provinces.
Ahead of the 2024 general elections, however, the party was stripped of its election symbol, forcing its candidates to contest the polls as independents.
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