Pakistan Supreme Court Orders Imran Khan's Transfer to Islamabad Hospital

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered the transfer of former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital within two days, granting a demand his party has been pursuing for months. Khan’s lawyer, Uzair Bhandari, said a three-member Supreme Court bench also directed the formation of a medical board to supervise his treatment. The board is expected to include Khan’s sister, Dr Uzma Khan, and his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan.

The court further ordered that Khan’s family be allowed to visit him at the hospital and that he be permitted to communicate with his sons, who reside abroad.

According to Bhandari, the next hearing has been scheduled for September 16, and Khan is expected to remain hospitalised until at least that date. The transfer would mark the longest period the former prime minister has spent outside prison since his imprisonment in August 2023.

Khan, 73, has been convicted in several corruption-related cases, though he and PTI have repeatedly rejected the charges, describing them as politically motivated. The Supreme Court’s decision came after the superintendent of Adiala Jail submitted a medical report detailing a cardiac board’s assessment of Khan on August 10. The report reportedly noted fluctuations in his blood pressure and anxiety associated with limited contact with his family.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, the court questioned Pakistan’s advocate general about shortcomings in the report and expressed concern over Khan’s health. The bench was told that his pulse and heart condition were abnormal and that his vital organs had begun showing signs of impact. Previous requests to move Khan to a hospital had been rejected twice since February. An Islamabad High Court ruling had instead directed that a medical board assess his condition.

PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari welcomed the Supreme Court ruling, saying it supported the party’s longstanding demand for independent and specialised medical care for Khan outside the prison system. He argued that treatment inside the jail could not replace a comprehensive assessment by independent specialists selected by Khan. The government has maintained that Khan’s transfer required judicial approval rather than an executive decision. Prime Minister’s adviser Rana Sanaullah told the Senate that Khan was receiving the best medical treatment available and that his condition did not justify PTI’s concerns.

The Supreme Court order comes amid an increasingly tense political standoff between PTI and the government. PTI has made access to Khan and his treatment central to its demands for renewed political dialogue, while the government has continued efforts to restart talks. PTI has also announced plans for a nationwide protest on September 27, adding another layer of political pressure as Khan’s legal and health-related battles continue.