Imran Khan’s Brief Hospital Transfer Amid Health Dispute

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan was briefly transferred from Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination before being returned to prison. The 73-year-old was moved early Friday under heavy security and spent several hours at the private hospital. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X that a specialist team, including a cardiologist, ophthalmologist and physician, examined Khan and declared him medically fit. Khan’s sister, Uzma Khan, was present throughout the visit. The transfer followed a Supreme Court order issued on Tuesday requiring authorities to move Khan to a hospital within two days. The court also directed that an independent medical board assess his condition and include his personal physician. The order followed a report from Adiala jail’s superintendent describing an August 10 cardiac assessment that recorded fluctuating blood pressure and anxiety, which the report linked to Khan’s limited contact with his family. Although the government challenged the order, officials said preparations for the transfer were completed on Thursday. Hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed around the hospital. Khan’s family and political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have repeatedly sought medical treatment for him, especially over concerns about vision in his right eye. Courts have rejected two earlier requests since February, with the Islamabad High Court ordering a medical-board assessment in one case. Khan was removed from office by parliament in April 2022 and has been imprisoned since August 2023 after being convicted in a case concerning the sale of state gifts received while he was prime minister. He and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have since been convicted in several other cases. Khan and PTI deny wrongdoing and say the prosecutions are politically motivated.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly been transferred from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad after complaints about his deteriorating health. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said he was moved under heavy security, although there had been no official confirmation of the transfer at the time of reporting. The move follows an order from a three-judge Supreme Court panel requiring Khan to be taken to hospital within 48 hours for examination by physicians. The ruling also said he should be permitted to meet his family, something he had reportedly been unable to do for months. His sister visited him in prison on Tuesday night. The court said Khan’s treatment should include an eye specialist, amid claims from his lawyers that he has multiple health problems and severe loss of vision in his right eye. The government has disputed allegations that prison authorities failed to provide adequate medical care. Police sealed off the area around the hospital with barriers, vehicles and armoured units. The Supreme Court warned Khan’s party and supporters not to hold press conferences or gather outside the hospital, apparently seeking to prevent the treatment from becoming a political demonstration. Khan, a former captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team, was prime minister from 2018 to 2022 and has been imprisoned since August 2023. He faces more than 100 cases, including allegations involving state secrets and the sale of state gifts, all of which he says are politically motivated. Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were both sentenced to 17 years late last year. His imprisonment prompted major protests and an ensuing government crackdown, but he remains an influential figure with substantial popular support.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was transferred from Adiala prison to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad after midnight Thursday for a medical examination, according to the Associated Press, which cited a statement from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The transfer followed a directive from a three-judge Supreme Court panel ordering authorities to facilitate Khan’s examination amid prolonged concerns about his health and access to treatment. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the government would comply with the order. He also said the government had asked the Supreme Court to clarify whether the medical relief granted to Khan applied only to him or could extend to other prisoners, stressing that the request was not intended to delay or defy the ruling. The court instructed authorities to arrange a medical board consisting of specialists and Khan’s personal physician, Faisal Sultan. Khan’s family and political party have requested that he be allowed to remain in the hospital for further treatment, but it was unclear whether he would return to prison after the examination. Health concerns intensified in January when Khan’s family claimed he had lost approximately 85% of the vision in his right eye. The government rejected that account and later said his vision had improved by about 70%. Authorities have maintained that prisoners receive medical care under existing regulations and may be transferred to government hospitals when necessary. Khan, a former international cricket star, was removed as prime minister in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. He has been imprisoned since 2023 following convictions in several cases, including a graft case. The hospital transfer adds a medical and legal dimension to the continuing controversy surrounding his imprisonment and treatment.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan returned to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail after undergoing a medical examination at Shifa Hospital in Islamabad. The examination followed an order from a three-judge Supreme Court panel, issued amid sustained concerns from Khan’s family and personal doctors about his health and access to medical treatment during more than three years of imprisonment. A member of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party confirmed his return to Reuters. A representative of the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the authorities were complying with the Supreme Court’s directive. The court ordered that Khan be examined by a medical board comprising specialists and his personal physician, Faisal Sultan. Khan’s party and family had requested permission for him to remain in the hospital after the examination, but he was taken back to jail. The 73-year-old former prime minister and cricket legend has reportedly been experiencing health problems during his imprisonment. The Supreme Court’s order came after former President Arif Alvi publicly shared information about Khan’s medical condition and described his reports as “alarming.” Alvi said he had reviewed the reports with several specialists and wanted the public to understand the seriousness of Khan’s condition. He identified anxiety and stress, heart palpitations, and high blood pressure among the reported concerns. Alvi also suggested that Khan may be suffering from sleeplessness, although it was not explicitly mentioned in the medical report, based on the medication he was receiving. The article presents the development as a legal and medical matter involving the court, the government, Khan’s political party, and his family, without resolving the broader dispute over the adequacy of his treatment or whether he should remain hospitalized.