Pakistan Government Challenges Supreme Court Order to Move Imran Khan to Private Hospital

The Pakistani government has filed a review petition with the Supreme Court to challenge an order requiring the transfer of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan to a private hospital. The Supreme Court had previously ordered that the 73 year old be moved from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within two days for medical examination and treatment. The court also directed that Khan be granted access to his personal physician, Dr. Faisal Sultan, and his sister, Dr. Uzma Khan, as part of a five member medical board. Additionally, the ruling granted Khan weekly family meetings and twice weekly phone calls with his sons in London.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that the order does not fall within the legal parameters for convicted prisoners, arguing that medical treatment should occur within the jail or at a public hospital. The government's petition claims the order is discriminatory and violates prison rules, warning that it could lead to a floodgate of other prisoners seeking similar private healthcare. The government further argued that the court exceeded its jurisdiction and failed to provide due process by not hearing from prison authorities first.

Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 on corruption and other charges, which he and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claim are politically motivated. His supporters and family have repeatedly raised concerns about his deteriorating health, specifically citing anxiety, blood pressure fluctuations, and loss of vision in his right eye. While some government officials have challenged the move, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhary told the Senate that the government would implement the order, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has no authority to go against judicial decisions.

Outlets with a center lean focused on the broader political implications and the possibility of a deal between Khan and the government. Center left sources emphasized the legal arguments regarding discrimination and the contradictions within the government's own response. Center right coverage highlighted the potential for public discontent and the risk that the government's challenge could dash the hopes of Khan's family and supporters.