A new twist emerged in ongoing legal battle over Imran Khan’s health and treatment. Just days after Supreme Court ordered his transfer to Shifa International Hospital, the federal government returned to the court, challenging the interim order and arguing that prison rules and medical procedures must be followed before any such move.
The federal government launched fresh legal challenge over proposed transfer of PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital, asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its August 18 interim order directing his transfer.
The review petition, filed by the Chief Commissioner Islamabad through the Advocate General Islamabad, argues that the Supreme Court’s interim direction goes beyond its lawful jurisdiction and should therefore be reviewed. The latest move adds another dramatic twist to an already closely watched legal battle surrounding Khan’s health, imprisonment and access to medical treatment.
Additional Sessions Judge sentenced Imran Khan to three years in prison on August 5, 2023. His appeal against the conviction remains pending before the Islamabad High Court. During those proceedings, Khan sought transfer to Shifa International Hospital on medical grounds under Section 561-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Islamabad High Court rejected the request on March 12, 2026, prompting an appeal before the Supreme Court.
The federal government now challenged the Supreme Court’s August 18 interim order, placing the prison rules and medical assessment procedure at the centre of the dispute.
The petition argues that Rule 197 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 already establishes a formal procedure for transferring prisoners from jail to hospitals outside prison premises. According to government, such transfers may require government approval and action through the Inspector General of Prisons, depending on the circumstances.
The petition also stresses that a prisoner transferred to an outside hospital remains subject to security arrangements and police supervision.
The government invoked Article 10-A of the Constitution, arguing that all parties are entitled to a fair trial and proceedings conducted in accordance with the law. Another objection raised in review petition concerns the procedure followed when the matter first came before the Supreme Court.
The government says the relevant parties were not formally issued notices when the case was initially fixed for hearing, raising questions over whether the matter was heard with all necessary parties properly before the court.
The government challenged the basis for ordering Khan’s transfer to an outside hospital, maintaining that his medical condition should first be assessed conclusively by qualified medical experts. According to petition, Khan has already been receiving regular medical examinations, while government medical boards have examined and treated him on multiple occasions.
The government’s position is that the court should have obtained a definitive opinion from medical specialists before determining whether Khan’s health had deteriorated to a level serious enough to justify transferring him from prison to an outside hospital.
The dispute now places Khan’s medical treatment, prison regulations and the scope of judicial intervention at the heart of the latest confrontation between the federal government and the Supreme Court.
