Imran Khan taken back to Adiala after brief visit to Shifa Hospital: Police

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan has been shifted back to his cell in Adiala Jail following a brief visit to Shifa International Hospital in the wee hours of Friday, police officials confirmed.

Khan, who was brought to the hospital around 12:30am on Friday, was moved back to Adiala by 4:30am under tight security after undergoing his medical check-up. Hospital administration and police officials deployed outside the facility confirmed his transfer. The area, cordoned off overnight with a heavy contingent of forces on the ground, appeared clear by morning, with roads now open to traffic.

A confirmation from PTI and government officials, however, is still awaited.

The former prime minister had been brought to the hospital in compliance with the Supreme Court’s order issued earlier this week, entering through Gate No. 1 via Patras Bokhari Road. Shifa International Hospital located in Islamabad’s H-8 sector, is also an area that also houses several educational institutions and government offices.

Visuals from outside the hospital had showed both Patras Bukhari Road and Service Road South cordoned off, with a large contingent of law enforcement personnel deployed at the site on Thursday night.

Police and other law enforcement personnel were deployed around Adiala Jail and along the route to Islamabad ahead of Imran Khan’s transfer. Key entrances leading to Shifa International Hospital were closed, with security tightened around the facility as the shift was expected late Thursday night.

Medical board and admission details

A six-member medical board, comprising specialists in internal medicine, general surgery, cardiology and ophthalmology, was set to examine Khan and recommend his course of treatment. His sister, Dr Uzma Khan, and personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, had entered Adiala Jail ahead of the transfer, with a final medical assessment conducted before he was moved. The section where Khan is expected to be admitted has been notified as a sub-jail. Sources said he will be shifted to the fourth floor of F Block at Shifa, part of the hospital’s executive section, equipped for specialised tests including kidney and liver conditions. Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had also previously been treated in the same block.

The Supreme Court order

The transfer follows an August 18 Supreme Court order directing authorities to move Khan to hospital for a comprehensive medical examination and treatment. A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed ordered the formation of the multidisciplinary medical board and directed that Khan’s personal physician and sister be involved in his care. The court gave authorities two days to comply, making Thursday the deadline. The order followed petitions concerning Khan’s medical treatment and access to family and doctors. According to medical information presented in court, Khan has reported fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches and restlessness; jail sources also cited eye problems and muscular pain.

Government’s shifting position

The government had challenged the court’s order through a review petition, arguing that directing treatment for one prisoner at a private hospital could set a precedent for others. However, the Supreme Court registrar’s office returned the petition on Thursday over procedural objections, clearing the way for Khan’s transfer to proceed; the government reportedly refiled the petition after addressing those objections.

Separately, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told a heated Senate session that Khan could be sent abroad for treatment “if need arises,” saying the government had only approached the court to clarify whether the relief granted was limited to Khan or extended to other prisoners. This came after Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas raised concerns over healthcare for Khan and detained PTI leaders including Dr Yasmin Rashid and Ejaz Chaudhry, demanding relief for all political prisoners. PTI Senator Mohsin Aziz quipped that “it is nice to know that the government has acquired a hospital in the United Kingdom,” referencing Nawaz Sharif’s earlier treatment abroad.

PTI’s response

PTI leaders welcomed the expected transfer. Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram confirmed Khan would be shifted to hospital and appealed to supporters not to gather outside the facility, saying Khan’s treatment should take priority over displays of support. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also welcomed the move, saying Khan’s examination and treatment would take place in the presence of his family and personal doctors. PTI workers and Khan’s family, including Aleema Khan and Qasim Zaman, continued to monitor developments outside Gate 5 of Adiala Jail.