Imran Khan Health Update: A Supreme Court order meant to address growing concerns over Imran Khan’s health has opened a fresh dispute between Pakistan’s judiciary and the government. The court has directed authorities to move the jailed former prime minister from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital, but the government now plans to challenge that decision.
The government’s objection centres on where Khan should receive treatment and whether the court’s direction follows Pakistan’s prison rules. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the government will seek a review, arguing that a medical board should first decide whether a prisoner requires treatment outside jail and, if hospitalisation is necessary, whether a government hospital should handle the case.
The development adds another layer to the long-running dispute over Khan’s treatment in custody, as his Pakistan-e-Insaf (PTI) party and family have repeatedly demanded better medical access.
Imran Khan Health Update: Pakistan Govt to Challenge Shifa Hospital Transfer Order
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the government would approach the Supreme Court seeking a review or modification of its order.
The government has particularly questioned the decision to send Khan to Shifa International Hospital, a private facility in Islamabad. Tarar argued that Pakistan’s prison system has established procedures for determining whether an inmate should receive treatment inside prison or be moved to a hospital.
He also questioned whether granting a private-hospital option to Khan would create a precedent for other prisoners with medical problems.
Pakistan Today reported that Tarar wants the court to make “suitable modifications” to the order, including consideration of treatment at a public hospital.
Imran Khan Health Update: Why Did the Supreme Court Order Imran Khan’s Hospital Transfer?
The Supreme Court issued the transfer order on August 18 after hearing petitions linked to Khan’s health and medical treatment.
The three-member bench directed authorities to move the 73-year-old former prime minister to Shifa International Hospital within two days for medical examination and treatment. The court also ordered the formation of a medical board containing specialists and Khan’s personal physician.
Concerns over Khan’s health have grown in recent months, particularly around problems with his vision and questions about the medical care available to him while he remains imprisoned.
The court’s order also addressed his access to family members. It directed authorities to facilitate regular family meetings and telephone conversations with his sons, who live abroad.
Imran Khan Health Update: What Are Pakistan Govt’s Concerns Over Private Hospital Treatment?
The government’s main argument focuses on the procedure used to determine where Khan should receive medical care.
Tarar said prison rules provide for medical boards to assess an inmate’s condition and determine whether treatment can take place inside the prison or requires hospitalisation.
If hospital treatment is necessary, the government says prisoners are generally taken to public hospitals rather than private facilities.
That is why the government is questioning the Supreme Court’s direction to send Khan to Shifa International Hospital.
The dispute is not simply about Khan’s medical condition. It also raises questions about whether the same judicial arrangement could be sought by other prisoners requiring specialised treatment.
Imran Khan Health Update: Supreme Court Gives Khan Medical Board and Family Access
The court’s order goes beyond the hospital transfer.
It directed the authorities to establish a medical board to monitor Khan’s treatment. Reports say the board will include specialists and Khan’s personal doctor, allowing his medical condition to receive an independent assessment.
The court also directed authorities to facilitate family contact. Khan’s relatives have repeatedly raised concerns about their ability to meet him while he remains behind bars.
His sons, who live outside Pakistan, have also sought greater access to their father.
The Supreme Court has ordered Khan to remain under hospital care until at least the next hearing on September 16, according to reports.
Imran Khan Health Update: PTI Welcomes Imran Khan Hospital Transfer Order
Khan’s PTI party welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision.
The party has spent months demanding that the former prime minister receive treatment outside prison and have access to doctors of his choice.
PTI has argued that Khan’s medical needs require treatment beyond what is available at Adiala Jail. His legal team has also repeatedly sought his transfer to Shifa International Hospital.
The Supreme Court’s latest ruling therefore represents a significant development for Khan and his supporters after earlier attempts to secure a hospital transfer faced legal hurdles.
Imran Khan Health Update: Courts Had Earlier Asked for a Medical Board
The latest ruling follows earlier legal proceedings over Khan’s health.
In March, the Islamabad High Court ordered the formation of a medical board to review his condition while considering a petition seeking his transfer to Shifa International Hospital.
That earlier process reflected the government’s position that Khan’s health should first be assessed through established medical procedures.
The latest Supreme Court order, however, has gone further by directing his transfer to the private Islamabad hospital.
Imran Khan Health Update: How Long Has Imran Khan Been in Adiala Jail?
Imran Khan has remained in Adiala Jail since 2023 after his arrest following his removal from power.
He has faced numerous criminal cases since leaving office, including cases involving corruption, state secrets and state gifts. Khan and PTI have rejected the allegations against him and repeatedly described the legal proceedings as politically motivated.
His continued imprisonment has remained one of Pakistan’s most politically sensitive issues.
The dispute over his medical treatment has now added a new legal dimension, with the government preparing to challenge a Supreme Court order concerning his healthcare.
Imran Khan Health Update: What Happens Next in Imran Khan’s Hospital Transfer Case?
The immediate question is whether the government’s review petition will alter the Supreme Court’s direction.
The court has ordered Khan’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital, while the government wants the order reconsidered and has raised the possibility of treatment at a government hospital.
Until the Supreme Court considers the government’s challenge, the dispute over Khan’s medical care is likely to remain closely watched across Pakistan.
The case has also placed the judiciary, government, Khan’s legal team and PTI on different sides of the question of how the jailed former prime minister should receive treatment.
