Supreme Court orders Imran Khan’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) ordered on Tuesday that PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan be shifted to Shifa International Hospital, directing that Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Uzma Khan accompany him and that he bear the hospital expenses himself.

A three-member bench said that a medical report should be submitted, and that Khan would remain in hospital until the next hearing.

During proceedings, the additional attorney general objected to the transfer order, stating that no notice had been issued to the government. The court made this objection part of its order and adjourned the hearing until September 16.

Jail superintendent’s report on health and meetings

The transfer order came during a hearing on Khan’s health and meetings, ahead of which the Adiala jail superintendent had submitted a report to the court stating that Khan’s eyesight had become “almost normal” in one eye following treatment by an ophthalmologist, as part of medical examinations conducted “three times a day” and overseen by several government-appointed doctors. The two-page report maintained records of checks by 39 medical specialists between November 2023 and August 2026, and detailed Khan’s meetings with family and lawyers, stating that he and wife Bushra Bibi had held 84 meetings under weekly Tuesday visits permitted by jail rules, while lawyer Salman Safdar met him on February 10 and April 4, 2026.

The report also referenced an assurance reportedly given by lawyer Salman Akram Raja to the Islamabad High Court that he would not speak to media after meeting Khan, alleging this was subsequently violated. It cited an Islamabad High Court ruling in the Sher Afzal case declaring Jail Rule 265 unlawful, and alleged that jail meetings had been used to incite sentiment against the judiciary, foreign policy and law enforcement, claims that remain those of the jail authorities, pending the court’s consideration.

Cases and convictions

During the hearing, the court, headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, sought details of all cases against Khan, asking how many he stood convicted in. According to his lawyer, Khalid Yousaf Advocate, more than 200 cases have been registered against Khan. He was sentenced to three years in the Toshakhana case, a conviction later suspended by the Islamabad High Court; a 10-year sentence in the cipher case was also struck down by the high court; and in the nikah case, where he had been sentenced to seven years, he and his wife were subsequently acquitted. He has also been convicted by accountability courts in the Al-Qadir Trust case and a second Toshakhana case, with appeals and suspension proceedings against both still pending.

Court questions medical record and sisters’ meetings

Justice Waheed questioned why there was any issue in providing Khan’s complete medical record, noting that what had been submitted so far was only a summary, and directed that the full record be submitted before the next hearing, adding that once placed before the court, the record would no longer remain confidential.

On the matter of meetings with his sisters, Advocate General Islamabad said such meetings would not be allowed if any law was violated. Justice Waheed pushed back, asking whether the state itself would resort to violating the law in response, and said meetings with sisters were not a favour but a fundamental right, adding that it was not the state’s role to violate the law. He also questioned why the Islamabad High Court’s directions were not being implemented, to which the Advocate General said 48 meetings with his sisters had been arranged over three years. The court sought further details of these meetings, along with the record of Khan being allowed to speak with his children.

Article 9 of the Constitution of Pakistan which states that no person shall be deprived of life or liberty except in accordance with law, was also quoted during the hearing.

KP government’s condition, and court’s remarks on politicisation

Separately, it emerged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had conditioned the release of Rs6.4 billion owed to the federal government on being allowed a meeting with Khan.

Justice Naeem Afghan said it should be settled that there would be no politicisation of Khan’s health, and that meetings should not be followed by political statements outside. The SC also summoned the jail superintendent for the next hearing, saying it would decide after a break whether Khan would be allowed the meeting.