Islamabad, Pakistan — Pakistan's Supreme Court on September 10 ordered the transfer of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, founder of the opposition party Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), from Adiala prison in Rawalpindi to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within two days, accepting a request his party had pursued for months.
Uzair Bhandari, one of Khan's lawyers, said the three-judge bench also ordered the formation of a medical board to oversee the treatment of the 73-year-old former premier, including participation from his sister, doctor Uzma Khan, and his personal physician, doctor Faisal Sultan.
“The court also directed that Khan's family be allowed to meet him at the hospital and that he be permitted to speak with his sons, who live abroad,” Bhandari said.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 16, and under the court's order, Khan will remain hospitalized at least until then. This would be the longest period he has spent outside prison grounds since his detention in August 2023 over several corruption cases that he and his party claim are politically motivated.
The ruling came after the superintendent of Adiala prison submitted a report to the court on September 9, describing results of a cardiovascular board's examination of Khan on August 10, noting fluctuating blood pressure and anxiety due to restricted communication with family.
During the September 10 hearing, the court questioned Pakistan's Attorney General about gaps in the report, saying that “Khan's pulse and heart condition are not normal” and vital organs “have begun to be affected.”
Earlier, courts had twice rejected similar requests since February, including an Islamabad High Court ruling that ordered an alternative medical board assessment.
Zulfi Bukhari, a senior PTI leader, said the ruling reinforced the party's long-standing position that Khan needs specialist, independent treatment outside Adiala prison. “Medical care within the prison system cannot substitute a thorough evaluation by independent specialists he chooses,” Bukhari said, adding that PTI had consistently requested Khan's transfer to Shifa International Hospital and access to private doctors.
Meanwhile, government officials stressed that any transfer requires judicial approval, not executive discretion. Prime Minister's adviser Rana Sanaullah told the Senate on September 9 that Khan was receiving “the best medical treatment available” and that his condition did not match PTI's concerns.
The ruling comes amid a broader dispute over access to Khan, which PTI increasingly regards as a prerequisite for resuming dialogue with the government. The government, for its part, has made fresh overtures for talks but without success, while PTI leaders announced nationwide protests planned for September 27.
