Former Pakistani Prime Minister and legendary cricket captain Imran Khan, who has remained behind bars on politically disputed charges since August 2023, has been transferred to a leading private hospital in Islamabad’s capital city to receive long-delayed medical care, following a binding order from the country’s Supreme Court.
Local Pakistani media outlets confirmed that Khan was moved from Adiala Jail, located in Punjab’s Rawalpindi, to Shifa International Hospital early this week, escorted by a heavy contingent of security personnel to maintain order and prevent unauthorized gatherings. The transfer was carried out in strict compliance with a 48-hour deadline issued by a three-judge Supreme Court panel, which mandated that the 73-year-old opposition leader receive a comprehensive medical evaluation from independent specialists.
Khan, who has been at the center of Pakistan’s political turmoil since he was removed from office via a no-confidence vote in 2022, has faced more than 100 separate legal charges since his ousting, ranging from corruption and illegal sale of state gifts to leaking classified state information. All charges have been consistently dismissed by Khan and his legal team as coordinated political retribution designed to remove him from the country’s political landscape. Most recently, late last year, both Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment in a separate corruption case related to state gifts.
For months, Khan’s legal team has raised urgent alarms over his declining health behind bars, claiming that prison authorities have repeatedly blocked him from accessing specialized medical care that he requires. The most pressing concern has been severe deterioration of Khan’s eyesight: in February, his legal team told the court that Khan only retains 15% of his vision in his right eye, a decline that was preventable if authorities had approved a specialist examination in a timely manner. Pakistani government officials have disputed these allegations, claiming that Khan has been provided appropriate care while in custody.
In its written ruling, the three-judge panel emphasized its core constitutional and legal duty to protect the fundamental rights of all prisoners, regardless of their charges. “We are mindful of the constitutional and legal obligation… to safeguard the life, health, dignity and security of the prisoner,” the order read. The court also specified that a qualified eye specialist must lead the medical evaluation and any subsequent treatment for Khan during his hospital stay.
In a joint appeal to avoid unrest, both the Supreme Court judges and leaders of Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have warned Khan’s supporters against gathering in large groups outside Shifa International Hospital. Both parties noted that any unapproved public assembly would constitute a direct breach of the Supreme Court’s order, and could put Khan’s access to care at risk.
Khan’s imprisonment in August 2023 sparked massive nationwide protests across Pakistan by his thousands of supporters, which were ultimately met with a harsh crackdown by incumbent government authorities. Even more than a year after being jailed, Khan remains one of the most influential and popular political figures in Pakistan, with a large, dedicated base of supporters that cuts across regional and demographic lines.