- WEB DESK
- August 21, 2026
Govt asks SC to recall order for Imran Khan’s transfer to private hospital
-
- WEB DESK
- August 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has asked the Supreme Court to recall its August 18 order directing the authorities to transfer Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former prime minister Imran Khan from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital, arguing that it could open the “floodgates”, with other prisoners seeking permission to be shifted to hospitals of their choice.
The government has filed a fresh review petition before the apex court — after addressing objections raised by the Supreme Court’s Registrar Office earlier — contending that the decision was issued without hearing a ‘necessary party’, and was contrary to the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978.
The miscellaneous review plea, filed on behalf of the Islamabad chief commissioner, the government has urged the Supreme Court to review and recall its August 18 order concerning Khan’s transfer to the private hospital.
According to the review petition, the district election commissioner was a party to the main case but was not made a party to the previous proceedings concerning Khan’s transfer to the hospital.
The government has contended that the Supreme Court passed the order without issuing notice to one of the parties, arguing that this constituted a procedural irregularity.
The government has argued that transferring a prisoner to a private hospital of his or her choice would be inconsistent with the criminal justice system and could set a precedent for other prisoners to seek similar treatment.
It cautioned that if the August 18 order was not recalled, it could open the “floodgates”, with other prisoners seeking permission to be shifted to hospitals of their choice.
The government argued that granting such special treatment to one prisoner could lead other inmates to demand similar concessions under the prison rules.
The petition has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision and recall the August 18 order.
Confusion over Imran’s hospital transfer
The development comes amid a dispute between the federal government and Khan’s legal team over his attempted transfer from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital and his subsequent medical examination at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The Supreme Court had ordered that the former prime minister be transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment.
Earlier, several media outlets reported that Khan had been shifted to Shifa International Hospital during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday for treatment before being taken back to Adiala jail.
However, Khan’s legal team and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday morning that Khan had undergone a medical check-up at PIMS rather than Shifa International Hospital.
Tarar claimed in a post on X that Khan had been taken to PIMS because of the security situation created by PTI workers along the route to and outside Shifa International Hospital.
He said a team of doctors had examined Khan and found him to be in good health.
“He has been provided medical facilities before, and will continue to be provided medical facilities whenever needed,” Tarar said.
On the other hand, Khan’s sister, Dr Uzma Khan, alleged that only a cursory eye examination was conducted at PIMS and that officials did not have his medical files with them during the examination.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside members of Khan’s legal team and his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, she said she had also been under the impression that they were being taken to Shifa International Hospital rather than PIMS.
Family disputes government account
Speaking about the confusion surrounding her brother’s transfer, Dr Uzma alleged that officials refused to engage with the family from the beginning of the journey from Adiala jail.
“When we reached Chaklala around Fajr, I kept asking the ASI, telling her that they cannot do this to us, that it would amount to contempt of court,” she said.
She claimed that only Khan’s eyes were examined during the check-up and that no other examination was conducted.
“Only his blood pressure was measured. Who even knows about the eye drops,” she said, describing the entire process as “haphazard” and alleging that officials did not have his medical files with them.
Khan was subsequently taken back to Adiala jail, she said. Dr Uzma said Khan’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, had arrived by then. She also alleged that Khan had been mistreated during his custody over the past 10 months.
“He said his head would hurt and he would complain, but they wouldn’t budge,” she said, attributing the resulting hypertension to anxiety and warning that it could lead to a brain haemorrhage.
She said Khan’s heart rate had been recorded at 42 and his blood pressure at 120, adding that doctors would inform officials about his condition but that the information was not disclosed.
She also referred to the case of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, who collapsed and died during a court appearance in 2019. Dr Uzma said she told her brother that the nation stood with him.
Doctor recounts night of confusion
Dr Faisal Sultan, giving his account of the events, said they left at around 8:15-8:30pm in two vehicles and left their phones behind when police picked him up at around 12:30am.
“After 30-45 minutes, we reached Shifa International,” he said, adding that they waited at the hospital for roughly two-and-a-half to three hours, with officials repeatedly telling them that Khan was about to arrive.
At around 4:30am, Sultan said, they were informed that Khan would not be able to reach the hospital, after which he returned to Adiala.
“When I saw her, I told her I was at Shifa while she was at PIMS,” he said. He added that there had been no contact between them by phone because he did not have his own phone with him.
“I concluded that nothing was clear,” he said, adding that the return journey took around 40 minutes, while the journey to the hospital had taken 25-30 minutes, around the time of the Fajr prayer call.
The family’s account sharply contradicts Tarar’s version of events.
The information minister said that Khan was taken to hospital under appropriate security arrangements during the intervening night of August 20 and 21 in compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision.
“A team of qualified doctors, including an eye specialist, cardiologist and physician, conducted a detailed examination and declared him medically fit,” Tarar said.
He said that Dr Uzma Khan remained present throughout the examination and treatment process. According to Tarar, Khan was taken back to Adiala jail at around 5am on August 21.
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