The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered that former Prime Minister Imran Khan be transferred from prison to a hospital, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said on Tuesday, granting a long-standing request from his family and political allies worried about his medical condition.
Khan, 73, who has been held in custody since August 2023 following convictions in several cases, has maintained that the prosecutions were politically motivated after he was removed from office in 2022. His family and legal team have repeatedly voiced concern about his health since his incarceration. Lawyers reported last year that he had suffered significant vision loss in his right eye while in detention.
PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari welcomed the court's decision. "It’s a very welcome order and we wish it had happened sooner so his eye and general health would not have deteriorated this much," he said. "He should remain in hospital until all doctors are satisfied," he added.
According to Khan’s spokesperson Naeem Haider Panjutha, the court directed that Khan be moved to Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours and that he remain there until September 16. Panjutha communicated the order on the social media platform X.
Since losing power in a no-confidence vote, Khan has been subject to multiple legal cases, including accusations related to state gifts and an unlawful marriage. Some of his convictions have been suspended or overturned, and several appeals are still pending. Khan denies any wrongdoing in the matters brought against him.
In February, a group of cricket figures from around the world, including from India, publicly urged that Khan receive better treatment in custody, expressing "deep concern" about his prison conditions. PTI, which won power in 2018 and continues to command substantial support in key provinces, faced an electoral setback when it was stripped of its official election symbol ahead of the 2024 vote, forcing its candidates to contest as independents.
This development addresses a central demand from Khan’s party and family, but legal appeals and political ramifications remain unresolved as the ordered hospital stay proceeds.