Pakistan Supreme Court Orders Medical Examination for Imran Khan
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has mandated that authorities transfer former Prime Minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a comprehensive medical evaluation. This decision follows persistent concerns from his family and personal doctors regarding his health and limited access to medical care, according to statements from his legal team and party representatives.
A three-judge panel decreed that Khan should be assessed by a medical board at the private hospital, including specialists and his personal physician, Faisal Sultan. In addition to the medical assessment, the court instructed prison authorities to facilitate weekly family visits and phone calls with his sons. These measures aim to address the difficulties his family has faced in gaining access to him and ensuring he receives medical attention from doctors of his choice.
Earlier this year, Pakistan imposed restrictions on visitors to the facility holding Khan, citing intelligence reports suggesting a potential threat to the prison’s security. The recent court order comes after Khan’s appeal to be moved from a high-security prison in Rawalpindi to a hospital, seeking access to his family, legal team, and personal physicians.
Salman Akram Raja, Khan’s lawyer, emphasized that the court’s directive was issued to safeguard Khan’s health, highlighting that access to medical care is a constitutional right in Pakistan. He also requested that Khan’s supporters refrain from gathering at the hospital to avoid disruption for other patients.
In recent months, Khan has been taken to government hospitals multiple times for an eye condition. His family’s concerns about his health escalated in January when they claimed he had lost approximately 85% of his vision in his right eye, a statement the government later contested. Authorities subsequently reported that Khan had regained about 70% of his vision, noting improvements in his condition.
The former cricket star, turned political leader, has been imprisoned since 2023 following a graft case conviction. Khan was ousted from his position as Prime Minister in a no-confidence vote by the parliament in April 2022. He has alleged that his removal was part of a conspiracy backed by the United States, involving political adversaries and Former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, claims which have been denied by Washington, Pakistan’s military, and his political opponents.
Despite his legal challenges, Khan continues to be a significant figure in Pakistan’s political landscape, maintaining a substantial supporter base.
