Supreme Court Orders Imran Khan’s Hospital Transfer

Supreme Court Orders Imran Khan's Transfer to Hospital Amid Health Concerns 

Ali Imran Chattha | Nazrana Times ISLAMABAD 

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital, granting a request his party and family had pressed for months amid mounting concern over his health.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, and comprising Justices Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Ishtiaq Ibrahim, directed authorities to shift Khan to the private facility within two days and ordered the constitution of a medical board to oversee his assessment and treatment. According to the order and counsel Uzair Bhandari, the board is to include a cardiologist, general medicine/internal medicine specialist, eye specialist (ophthalmologist), and other relevant specialists in consultation with Shifa International Hospital management, along with Khan’s personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan. His sister, Dr Uzma Khan (a petitioner in the matter), is to remain associated with the examination and treatment.
The court ordered that Khan remain at the hospital until the next hearing on September 16. His family will bear the costs of treatment and facilities at the private hospital. Authorities were directed to ensure the transfer under tight security and to maintain law and order outside the hospital, with no public gatherings or rallies permitted in the vicinity.
During the hearing, the bench questioned the government’s Additional Advocate General over gaps in the medical report submitted by Adiala Jail’s superintendent. The report (and an annexure) detailed fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches, restlessness/anxiety linked to restricted family contact, and recommendations including further cardiac investigation (such as CT coronary angiography), increased BP medication, more frequent family interaction, daily walks, and access to reading material and media. Justice Waheed observed that Khan’s pulse and heart condition were not normal and that his vital organs had started being affected. The report also noted improvement in his eye condition (central retinal vein occlusion), with vision described as almost normal after specialist treatment at PIMS and other facilities.
The court directed authorities to submit Khan’s complete medical record (not merely a summary), details of his meetings over the past three years, records of his communication with his sons (including call details), and information on the status of his various cases (under-trial, convicted, or suspended sentences). Adiala Jail officials have been summoned to appear at the next hearing. The bench also ordered weekly family meetings and telephonic conversations with his sons living abroad, describing meetings with family (including sisters) as a fundamental right under Article 9 of the Constitution (right to life and access to medical facilities).
Justice Waheed stated: “Mindful of this fundamental right, we are issuing this order to ensure health and safety of the prisoner.” The order includes clear conditions: medical reports must not be shared with the media or used for political purposes; any violation could lead to withdrawal of the facilities granted. Both sides may approach the court if there is non-compliance.
Background
Tuesday’s order marks the first time a higher court has granted a hospital-transfer request of this nature since PTI and family members began petitioning in February (and Khan himself in May), citing an eye condition (CRVO) requiring specialist treatment and broader health concerns. Both the Islamabad High Court and lower courts had previously declined full transfer requests, with the IHC ordering only medical board assessments rather than a transfer to a private facility of choice. Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 following convictions in multiple cases that he and PTI describe as politically motivated.
Reaction
PTI welcomed the ruling as an “important step” and “ray of hope,” calling it comprehensive and urging full, immediate implementation. The party appealed to supporters not to gather outside Shifa International Hospital, stressing calm, cooperation, and no politicisation of Khan’s health. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi described it as “a justice-based, appreciable decision,” adding that the party “will not do any politics” over Khan’s health. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and other leaders gave undertakings to the court on compliance.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said the federal government would implement the order “in letter and spirit,” noting that the ruling reaffirms that the prime minister has no authority to release a prisoner convicted by a court a position he said applied equally in past cases. He emphasised that differences with Khan are political, not personal, and that his health remains a government responsibility.
Analysts noted the order comes amid speculation about a possible thaw between the government and PTI, though most cautioned that earlier reports of a negotiated settlement have repeatedly failed to materialise.
What’s Next
The ruling addresses Khan’s immediate medical situation and access issues but leaves substantive appeals and the question of his eventual release pending. The September 16 hearing is expected to take up the medical board’s findings, the complete medical and meeting records ordered by the court, and related compliance matters.
All details above are drawn from contemporaneous reporting of the Supreme Court’s oral and written directions, the submitted jail medical report, and statements by counsel and officials present at or immediately after the hearing.