A Pakistani court has ordered Imran Khan to be transferred to a private hospital
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered that imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan be transferred from Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi to the private Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination. The decision was made following repeated statements by his family and supporters regarding the deteriorating health of the 73-year-old politician, according to Deutsche Welle.
Khan, the founder of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has been in prison since August 2023. He is currently serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case, which he himself considers politically motivated. The former head of government was removed from office following a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022.
Khan’s advisor, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, rejected the suggestion that the court’s decision could have been the result of political deals with the authorities. According to him, this is solely a ruling by the Supreme Court. Bukhari also stated that Khan did not receive adequate medical care in prison and was held in complete isolation.
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PTI reported that the former head of government has vision problems, fluctuating blood pressure, and anxiety due to limited contact with his family. The court also instructed a medical board—comprising the politician’s sister, Dr. Uzma Khan, and his personal physician, Faisal Sultan—to oversee his treatment.
Pakistan’s Minister of Legal Affairs, Azam Nazer Tarar, stated that the government would appeal the court’s decision, calling it unlawful. He emphasized that, by law, convicted prisoners must be treated in prison or at a public hospital, and requested that Khan’s medical tests be conducted at a public facility. State Minister of the Interior Talal Chaudhry stated that Khan’s cases would be decided by the courts.
Analyst Raza Rumi noted that Khan’s popularity remains strong despite his imprisonment and the pressure on the PTI following the politician’s arrest. At the same time, he believes that a lasting political settlement would require an agreement with Pakistan’s military leadership. Another analyst, Kamal Chima, sees no prospects for a deal between the government and Khan and described the court’s decision as a response to the need for proper medical care.
