Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered the immediate transfer of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to a private hospital in Islamabad, following mounting concerns over his health and demands from his family and political party for specialised medical treatment.
The court’s intervention marks a major development in the prolonged legal and political saga surrounding the 73-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, who has remained imprisoned since August 2023. His supporters have repeatedly alleged that his deteriorating health requires treatment outside the prison system.
Supreme Court orders immediate hospital transfer
The Pakistan Supreme Court has directed authorities to shift Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within 48 hours. According to the order, he is expected to remain at the hospital until September 16, when the matter is scheduled to come up again.
The court has also ordered the formation of a medical board to assess Khan’s overall health. His personal doctor and sister, Dr Aleema Khan, are expected to be involved in the medical evaluation, providing his family with greater access to the treatment process.
The decision followed petitions and appeals concerning Khan’s medical condition. His family and lawyers had sought permission for him to receive treatment from doctors of their choice at a private medical facility.
Growing concerns over Imran Khan’s eyesight
Khan’s health, particularly the condition of his right eye, has become a major point of dispute between prison authorities and his supporters.
Authorities at Adiala Jail recently submitted a report claiming that Khan’s eyesight had improved substantially following treatment and was now almost normal. However, PTI and Khan’s family have questioned that assessment.
Earlier this year, Khan’s legal team had claimed that he had suffered severe loss of vision in his right eye. A UK Parliament research briefing also recorded claims that Khan had experienced significant vision loss linked to a retinal condition, while Pakistani authorities maintained that he had received medical treatment.
The conflicting accounts intensified pressure on authorities to allow an independent medical assessment outside prison.
PTI welcomes Supreme Court intervention
Khan’s political party welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision but said the intervention should have come earlier.
Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari, a close aide and adviser to Khan, described the order as welcome while expressing concern that the former premier’s eye and overall health may have deteriorated during the prolonged dispute over his treatment.
Khan’s lawyers have also said the court has allowed his family to meet him in hospital. His sons, who live in the United Kingdom, are also expected to be permitted to communicate with him.
The arrangements could provide Khan with greater access to his family and medical advisers than he has had while incarcerated.
Three years behind bars
Imran Khan has been imprisoned for roughly three years following his removal as Pakistan’s prime minister in 2022 and a series of criminal cases. His supporters have consistently described the legal proceedings against him as politically motivated, allegations that Pakistan’s authorities have rejected.
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His imprisonment has remained one of the most politically sensitive issues in Pakistan. PTI supporters have organised demonstrations demanding his release, while the government has continued to defend the legal proceedings against the former premier.
The latest Supreme Court order therefore comes against a backdrop of continuing political tension, legal battles and concerns surrounding Khan’s treatment in custody.
Hospital stay could become crucial turning point
Khan’s transfer to a private hospital could become an important moment in the continuing dispute over his health.
Unlike prison-based assessments, the court-directed medical examination is expected to provide an opportunity for specialists and Khan’s chosen medical representatives to evaluate his condition. The medical board’s findings could also influence future arguments over his treatment and detention.
The Supreme Court has effectively placed Khan’s immediate medical care under judicial scrutiny by requiring his transfer and continued hospitalisation until the next hearing.
For Khan’s supporters, the ruling represents a significant breakthrough after months of concerns over his health. For Pakistan’s authorities, it places renewed attention on the conditions surrounding the former prime minister’s imprisonment.
With Khan expected to remain outside jail until at least the September 16 hearing, the coming weeks could provide fresh clarity about his health and potentially influence the wider political and legal battle surrounding Pakistan’s most prominent jailed opposition leader.
The Supreme Court’s decision has therefore transformed a long-running health dispute into a major judicial development, putting Imran Khan’s medical condition firmly at the centre of Pakistan’s continuing political crisis.
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