The Supreme Court has ordered the transfer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital for a complete medical examination.
The court directed authorities to ensure that Imran Khan is transferred to the hospital within two days. He will remain at the hospital until the next hearing of the case.
The court also ordered that Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Uzma Khan accompany Imran Khan to the hospital. A board of expert doctors will also be formed to examine his health and provide medical care.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court ordered that Imran Khan be allowed to meet his family once a week. The court also sought complete details of his medical treatment, meetings with family members during the last three years and telephone conversations with his children.
Justice Shahid Waheed observed that meeting Imran Khan was not a favour but a fundamental right of his family members. The court stressed that all meetings with prisoners must be handled according to the law.
PTI lawyer Uzair Bhandari requested permission for Dr Uzma Khan and Dr Asim Yousuf to meet Imran Khan. He said Dr Uzma, being a doctor, should be allowed to see him and assess his health.
The court also questioned the request to move Imran Khan to a private hospital and asked who would bear the cost of his treatment. The lawyer replied that the expenses at the private hospital would be paid by Imran Khan’s family.
The Supreme Court further stressed that there should be no politics over Imran Khan’s health. PTI lawyer Salman Akram Raja assured the court that the party would not use the former prime minister’s medical condition for political purposes.
The court also expressed concern about the possibility of gatherings outside Shifa International Hospital. It directed that other patients at the hospital should not face any inconvenience.
After the hearing, Salman Akram Raja said that the Supreme Court’s decision had created hope regarding Imran Khan’s health. He confirmed that the former prime minister would be shifted from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital within two days.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also urged PTI supporters not to gather outside the hospital and to respect the Supreme Court’s decision. He called on supporters to remain peaceful and avoid any action that could create problems.
The Supreme Court has also sought further details about Imran Khan’s pending cases, convictions and cases in which he is currently on bail.
The case will continue at the next hearing, while authorities have been directed to comply with the court’s orders regarding Imran Khan’s medical treatment and family meetings.