Islamabad, Aug 2026 : Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday directed authorities to transfer jailed former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a comprehensive medical examination within the next few days, amid concerns over his health and access to medical care.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed passed the order while hearing a series of petitions seeking hospitalisation for Imran Khan and greater access for his family members to meet him.
The Supreme Court said its decision was intended to safeguard the fundamental rights and health of the 74-year-old former Prime Minister, who has remained incarcerated since August 2023.
"Mindful of the fundamental right, we are issuing this order to ensure the health and safety of the prisoner," Pakistani daily Dawn quoted Justice Waheed as saying.
The court observed that the direction was being issued in view of Imran Khan's reported health concerns and the constitutional guarantee of the right to life and access to medical facilities. It also ordered authorities to facilitate weekly meetings between the former Prime Minister and his family.
In another significant direction, the court ordered the constitution of a medical board to monitor and assess Imran Khan's health. The board will include his personal physician, while his sister Uzma Khan will also be associated with the medical panel.
The ruling came a day after the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan has been detained, submitted a report to the Supreme Court regarding his medical condition.
According to an annexure cited by Dawn, Dr Akhtar Ali Bandeshah of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) examined Imran Khan on August 1. The doctor reportedly recorded complaints including uncontrolled and fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches and restlessness.
The former Prime Minister reportedly attributed some of his symptoms and mental stress to restricted interaction with his wife, family members and other social contacts. He also complained about limited access to newspapers and television while in detention.
The doctor recommended measures aimed at reducing his mental stress, including more frequent meetings with his wife and access to reading material. He also recommended that Imran Khan undergo a CT coronary angiography and advised an increase in his blood pressure medication.
The medical assessment reportedly warned that the PTI founder could be at risk of developing further complications if his condition was not appropriately managed.
Imran Khan had approached the Supreme Court in May seeking his transfer to Shifa International Hospital and permission to consult his personal doctors. His petition also sought greater access to family members and legal counsel, along with the sharing of his medical records with his family.
The latest court order comes amid growing international attention over the former Prime Minister's detention conditions. Last month, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Alice Jill Edwards, expressed concern over reports regarding Imran Khan's incarceration and alleged lack of adequate medical care.
Edwards had called on Pakistani authorities to ensure humane detention conditions and allow Imran Khan access to medical examination and treatment of his choice.
In a post on LinkedIn, Edwards claimed that Imran Khan had been held in near-total solitary confinement for an extended period in a small, windowless cell under continuous CCTV surveillance. She alleged that he had sometimes gone more than two weeks without exercise or meaningful human contact, describing the conditions as exceeding the standards outlined in the Mandela Rules.
She also expressed concern over reports that the former Prime Minister was not receiving appropriate medical treatment for serious health issues. According to Edwards, these concerns included a spinal injury reportedly sustained in a 2013 accident and bullet wounds suffered during an assassination attempt in November 2022.
"I am also concerned about reports that he is being denied proper medical care and is suffering from serious medical issues that have not been treated appropriately," she said, while urging Pakistan to facilitate appropriate medical examination and treatment.
The Supreme Court's latest order is expected to provide Imran Khan with access to a comprehensive medical assessment outside the prison system, while the directions regarding family meetings and the medical board could bring greater oversight to his healthcare and detention conditions.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
