In a significant court-ordered development that has rippled across Pakistan’s charged political landscape, imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been transferred to a leading private hospital in Islamabad for urgent medical assessment and treatment, his political party has confirmed. The transfer, which came in compliance with a Supreme Court directive issued earlier this week, has sparked visible displays of support from Khan’s backers across the capital.
Pakistan’s top judicial body ordered that the 73-year-old founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) be moved to Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours of his legal team submitting a petition highlighting his declining health. By early Friday, PTI spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari confirmed to Agence France-Presse that the transfer had been completed, and that authorities had fully adhered to the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Heavy security arrangements were put in place around the hospital ahead of Khan’s arrival: hundreds of police officers, many equipped with batons, were deployed to secure the perimeter, and all access roads leading to the facility were cordoned off. Despite the security presence, dozens of Khan’s supporters gathered near the hospital grounds to show solidarity, with some throwing handfuls of red rose petals at passing vehicles in a symbolic gesture of affection for the former leader.
“It’s confirmed that he has arrived at Shifa International Hospital, the Supreme Court’s order has been complied with,” Bukhari told AFP. Arif Alvi, a former Pakistani president and senior PTI figure, echoed the confirmation in a post on X, writing that the entire nation was “happy and dancing with joy” at the court’s decision.
The court’s ruling went beyond approving medical care: it also granted Khan new access rights to his family, requiring authorities to allow weekly in-person meetings and twice-weekly telephone calls with his sons. A multi-specialist medical panel will be assembled to oversee Khan’s treatment, and the court ruled that the former PM’s sister Uzma Khan, a practicing physician, will be permitted to participate in the care process.
This is not the first time health concerns have been raised over Khan’s condition in custody. Earlier this year, Khan received outpatient eye treatment, with his family reporting at the time that he had lost most of his vision in his right eye. His legal team had repeatedly warned that his underlying health issues required urgent, specialized evaluation that could not be adequately provided in a prison setting.
Khan, who led Pakistan from 2018 until he was removed from office via a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022 amid escalating tensions with the country’s powerful military establishment, has been behind bars since 2023. Late last year, he and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to a combined 17 years in prison on charges of corruption and other offenses, allegations Khan has repeatedly dismissed as politically motivated fabrications designed to remove him from the country’s political arena.
The 73-year-old leader, who previously led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, remains the country’s most popular political figure, according to multiple public opinion polls. His arrest in May 2023 triggered mass nationwide protests that rattled the sitting government, and his base has remained active in organizing displays of support even amid widespread crackdowns on PTI activists.
For his supporters gathered outside the hospital Friday, the transfer is a small but long-awaited win. “I came here to show my support for the man who has made so many sacrifices for Pakistan,” 69-year-old Younus Qureshi told reporters. Another supporter, 52-year-old Bilal, echoed that sentiment, saying he hoped Khan would receive the quality medical care he needed. “Our love and affiliation will remain with Mr Khan, no matter what,” Bilal added.