Full story
Hospital transfer ordered
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered authorities to shift jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital within two days for medical examination and treatment, and directed the government to constitute a specialised medical board for his care.
“ordered that incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan be shifted to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital within two days”
The Express Tribune said the court’s three-member bench comprising Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Naeem Akhter Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim passed the directions while hearing interconnected matters including Khan’s plea relating to medical treatment and access to family members and lawyers.
The ruling came as the court observed that the synopsis of Khan’s medical examination and health condition prima facie indicated deterioration in his health, and it held that the state had a constitutional and legal obligation to safeguard the life, health, dignity and security of persons in custody.
The court also ordered that the concerned officer or government place before it the complete medical record of Imran Khan, including all medical tests and reports, prescriptions, medical opinions, examination reports and details of treatment administered from the date of his arrest until the present.
In parallel, the Supreme Court allowed weekly family meetings between Khan and his family, following a medical board report and a report submitted by the Adiala Jail superintendent to the Supreme Court on Monday.
Sister visit after nine months
Imran Khan’s sister Noreen Niazi met him at Adiala Jail on Tuesday after a gap of around nine months, following the Supreme Court’s order allowing weekly meetings between the former prime minister and his family.
The Express Tribune reported that the meeting lasted around 15 minutes, during which Noreen briefed Imran on the Supreme Court’s order concerning his transfer to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, enquired about his health and discussed some ongoing legal matters.
After the meeting, Noreen confirmed that she had met Imran but did not speak to the media, in line with an assurance given to the court, and she later left Adiala Jail along with her sisters Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan.
Imran also met his wife, Bushra Bibi, with their meeting lasting around 30-35 minutes, and the Express Tribune reported that Bushra had earlier met her daughter, Mubashra Sheikh, and sister-in-law Mehrunnisa.
Aleema Khan told reporters, “Words cannot describe how happy I am about the meeting,” and she said she could not imagine where she would have got sweets from, while also telling reporters, “Where are we supposed to get any indication from?”
Conditions and restrictions
The Supreme Court’s order came with conditions, including that PTI representatives refrain from political activity or media engagement after meeting Imran, and the party said it would comply.
“none of his family members, members of his political party or lawyers associated with him would be allowed to disclose”
The Express Tribune reported that the court imposed restrictions on the disclosure of Khan’s medical information, directing that none of his family members, members of his political party or lawyers associated with him would be allowed to disclose or share his health condition or medical reports with the media or the public at large until the next date of hearing.
The court also directed Imran Khan’s political party and family members to ensure that no public gathering took place within the premises of Shifa International Hospital, and it warned that non-compliance with any of its directions would be viewed strictly and that the facilities granted under the order could be withdrawn forthwith.
In a separate reaction, Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari said, “The Supreme Court has rightly ordered for Imran Khan to be moved to Shifa International,” and he added that he wished it had happened sooner so his eye and general health would not have deteriorated this much.
Human rights activists renewed calls for Khan’s access to family, lawyers and medical care as he marked three years in prison on 5 August, and Amnesty International urged authorities to end what it described as “unlawful” restrictions on his detention.
