Pakistan Government to Challenge Supreme Court Order on Jailed Ex-PM Imran Khan's Medical Treatment

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's government will challenge the Supreme Court's order to move jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to hospital for medical checks, the law minister said late on Tuesday. The ruling "does not fall within the four corners of the law", law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said in a video statement shared on X by state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, and the government was requesting that Khan's medical tests be conducted at a government hospital. The Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that jailed former prime minister Imran Khan be shifted to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within two days for medical assessment and treatment, and allowed him to meet his family once a week during his stay. The order follows months of concern raised by the 73-year-old Khan 's family and supporters over his health, along with repeated allegations that he has been denied adequate medical care. The top court directed that Khan be taken to the private hospital "within the next two days" and remain there until the next hearing on September 16. It also ordered the constitution of a medical board to assess Khan's health and oversee his treatment. Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf political party, has been lodged in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail since 2023 and is facing several cases. His supporters have continued to protest against his incarceration. His relatives and party colleagues have repeatedly alleged human rights violations and accused the authorities of restricting his access to adequate medical care, family visits and legal counsel. The court's directive came while hearing several identical petitions following an eye ailment that Khan developed earlier this year.