Pakistan govt challenges top court order to shift jailed former PM Imran Khan to private hospital
The Pakistani government on Wednesday (August 19) challenged the Supreme Court order to shift jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan to a private hospital of his choice for medical treatment. The office of the chief commissioner in Islamabad filed a review petition, seeking a review or withdrawal of the order.
The government filed the review petition arguing that the top court’s interim order was “discriminatory” – because it applied only to Khan and not to prisoners in general.
It is believed that moving Khan to a private hospital would set a precedent for all convicts to seek similar treatment in case of health issues, Law Minister Azam Tarar said.
The review petition called the order “in excess of jurisdiction” and therefore “liable to be reviewed”. It further argued that the order “suffers from errors of law floating on the surface of the record” and that the prison rules had escaped the apex court’s attention in its ruling.
Shift Imran Khan from jail to hospital: Court
Earlier on Tuesday, the top court ordered authorities to move Khan from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital ‘within the next two days’ amid concerns over his deteriorating health, and he shall remain there until the next hearing on September 16.
The 73-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician has been incarcerated at Pakistan’s Adiala Jail since 2023 and is facing several cases. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has repeatedly alleged that authorities have prevented him from meeting family members and party colleagues and have failed to provide adequate medical treatment for his health problems, including an eye condition.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, whose province is governed by Khan’s party, said the health of the former prime minister should be treated with the seriousness it deserves. “We neither politicise Imran Khan’s health, nor has Imran Khan ever raised the issue of his health to seek any kind of relief,” Afridi said.
The Supreme Court directive came a day after the jail authorities filed a report saying Khan received treatment from leading ophthalmologists in Islamabad and Rawalpindi and his affected eye had “almost regained normal vision”. The medical report also recorded Khan’s blood pressure at 140/80 and his pulse at 54 beats per minute. It said his ECG was normal and his chest was clear.
Imran Khan can meet his family
The court also directed the formation of a medical board to assess the health of the former cricketer-turned-politician and oversee his treatment. It further allowed him to meet his family once a week during his stay at the hospital.
The directive was issued while hearing several similar petitions filed after Khan developed an eye ailment earlier this year. The petitioners had sought his transfer to a private hospital, citing dissatisfaction with the treatment he was receiving at government-run facilities.
The federal government initially welcomed the court’s order and said it would be implemented. But later Law Minister Azam Tarar announced that the government would file a review petition seeking modification in the order.
(With PTI inputs)
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