The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan has filed a lawsuit against the government for taking him to a public hospital rather than the private facility designated by the Supreme Court, party officials said on Saturday.
PTI's legal adviser Naeem Panjutha said the petition seeks action against the Prime Minister, the Law Minister, the Information Minister, and other government officials. It also demands that Khan receive treatment at a private hospital as per the court's order.
Earlier, a three-judge panel on Tuesday ordered the government to move Khan from Adiala prison to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within two days for medical checks, following growing concerns about his deteriorating health.
However, officials took him to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Friday for a brief examination before returning him to prison. The government also denied Khan's personal doctors access, which PTI considers a violation of the court order. The government stated that the medical examination found no issues requiring urgent care.
PTI argues that the court order requires Khan to remain under medical supervision at least until mid-September. His supporters had earlier gathered on the streets of Islamabad and protested outside the hospital.
Khan, who remains highly popular in Pakistan, has been detained since August 2023 on charges he says are politically motivated after a falling-out with the military establishment led to his ouster. His arrest has triggered nationwide protests, including attacks on military installations by demonstrators.
Khan's sister, Uzma Khan, who was present during the examination at PIMS, told reporters that although her brother was physically fit, he had been "continuously tortured in prison." Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday that Khan was examined at PIMS due to security risks at Shifa hospital.
PTI leaders said the case would increase pressure and boost preparations for a planned protest on September 27.
