In a significant development, authorities in Islamabad have shifted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, who has remained in prison since August 2023 following his convictions, to Shifa International Hospital from Adiala Jail following the Supreme Court’s order.
A special panel of medical experts will decide on his admission to the hospital, sources told Geo News, after he was brought to the medical facility under heavy security.
Moments before his arrival, the authorities had completed preparations for his arrival, with Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi visiting the hospital along with senior police officers and reviewing security arrangements.
The Supreme Court had on Tuesday ordered the ousted prime minister to be shifted to the medical facility within two days. However, the government filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against the decision.
Strict security measures have been put in place outside the hospital, with a heavy contingent of police deployed in the area. Vehicles parked along the roadside near the hospital were also removed using lifters as part of the security arrangements.
According to PTI sources, authorities had formally informed PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan about the transfer.
Imran, 73, has remained in prison since August 2023 following convictions he and his party describe as politically motivated. Since his ouster in April 2022 following a no-confidence vote, he has faced multiple legal cases.
‘Bani Gala transfer premature’
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja said it is premature to say that Imran will be shifted from the hospital to his Bani Gala residence.
He said any building could potentially be declared a sub-jail, adding that such a decision could be considered if medical experts conclude that returning him to prison would be detrimental to his health.
Raja said the report submitted to the court indicated that the conditions in jail were causing anxiety for the PTI founder.
He said the medical board would decide whether Imran should return to jail or be shifted to Bani Gala, adding that the government could declare the residence a sub-jail if required.
“These are all possible options,” Raja said.
‘Imran would not confront army chief if freed’
Zulfi Bukhari, a close aid to the former prime minister, told Reuters that Imran would not confront the Pakistan Army or Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir if freed.
“If Imran Khan was released tomorrow, hypothetically, he wouldn’t do anything that would effectively damage the country,” Bukhari said, describing him as “magnanimous”.
“That doesn’t mean you go loggerheads with the establishment, with the military leader,” he said. “You control your own hurt. You curb your own pain. You swallow it for the betterment of your country.”
Bukhari called the SC ruling a “new ray of hope” and said PTI would comply with the court’s instruction that its workers and leaders not gather outside the hospital.
Party leaders last spoke with Khan eight months ago, said Bukhari, who is in self-imposed exile in Dubai.
Senior PTI leaders driven into hiding would participate or help organise the mobilisation, he added.
“You’ll probably see a lot of leadership come out of hiding,” he said. “Even if you don’t see them, you’ll see them mobilising.”
Review petition
In the petition filed by the Centre a day ago, the federal government said the Supreme Court’s August 18 interim order directing that Imran Khan be transferred to a private hospital exceeded the court’s jurisdiction and should be reviewed.
“It seems the above statutory provision escaped notice of the Honourable Court, thereby resulting in an error which is floating on the surface of the record. Had the Court taken note of the above-noted provision of law, the order under review could not have been passed. The same, therefore, merits to be reviewed,” the petition contended.
The plea maintained that the former premier requested to be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for treatment, but the IHC rejected the request on March 12, after which an appeal was filed before the top court.
It added that prisoners transferred to hospitals must remain under police supervision. The petition also referred to Rule 197 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, which sets out the procedure for transferring a prisoner from jail to a hospital.
The petition read that Imran had been regularly medically examined in the past and had received treatment from medical boards on several occasions.
It further argued that the court should have sought the opinion of medical experts before deciding on his transfer on health grounds.
SC ruling
In the SC order released on Tuesday, the apex court ordered Adiala jail authorities to transfer the PTI founder to Shifa Hospital for medical assessment and treatment within two days, which expires today.
The court also ordered the constitution of a medical board to assess and treat Khan. It also ordered that Dr Uzma and the former premier’s personal physician be present during his medical assessment and treatment, with his family to bear the expenses.
Authorities were directed to transfer the ex-premier to the hospital under tight security and complete the necessary arrangements within a few days.
The court, however, warned that any violation of its directions could result in the withdrawal of facilities being provided to the PTI founder.
Following the ruling, PTI welcomed the SC’s order and urged party workers to avoid gathering outside the medical facility.
