Federal Government Files Review Petition in Supreme Court Against Imran Khan’s Hospital Transfer Order

The federal government on Wednesday filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its order directing the transfer of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for medical examination and treatment.

The move follows the apex court’s Tuesday ruling by a three-member bench, which ordered authorities to shift Khan to the private hospital within two days. The court also directed the formation of a multidisciplinary medical board, allowed Khan’s personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan and his sister Dr Uzma Khan to remain associated with his care, and permitted weekly family meetings along with twice-weekly phone calls with his sons.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar earlier stated that the government had reviewed the order after consultations with jail authorities and the Islamabad administration. He argued that the directive does not fall within the legal framework governing medical facilities for convicted prisoners under prison laws. According to the minister, a medical board should determine whether treatment can be provided inside jail or requires hospitalisation, and convicted prisoners are ordinarily treated at government tertiary-care hospitals rather than private facilities.

The review petition seeks modification of the order so that Khan’s medical assessment can be conducted at a government hospital, with the possibility of including specialists from other institutions if the court deems it appropriate. Officials have raised concerns that allowing private hospital transfers could create administrative complications and set a precedent for the wider prison population.

Khan, 73, has been incarcerated at Adiala Jail since August 2023 following convictions in multiple cases that he and his party describe as politically motivated. His family, lawyers and PTI leaders have long raised concerns about his health, including reported vision issues and restricted access to personal physicians and relatives.

The Supreme Court’s next hearing in the matter is scheduled for September 16. The government has indicated that the review petition was filed through the Chief Commissioner Islamabad.