Imran Khan ‘Shifted’ From Adiala Jail to Hospital After Supreme Court Order
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been transferred from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad following an order from the country’s Supreme Court. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The transfer took place on Thursday, August 20, after the three-member Supreme Court bench directed authorities to move Khan to the private hospital for medical assessment and treatment. Reuters and other reports confirmed that Khan was subsequently transferred from prison to the hospital under tight security.
The court had ordered that Khan remain at Shifa International Hospital until the next hearing on September 16, 2026, while a medical board conducts a comprehensive assessment of his health.
Supreme Court Orders Medical Assessment
The three-member bench, headed by Justice Shahid Waheed and comprising Justices Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Ishtiaq Ibrahim, issued the order after hearing petitions concerning Khan’s medical treatment and access to family members.
The court directed that a medical board be formed to examine Khan. The panel is expected to include specialist doctors as well as his personal physician, allowing his health condition to be assessed independently.
The Supreme Court’s intervention followed repeated concerns raised by Khan’s family, lawyers and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over his health while in prison.
Concerns Over Imran Khan’s Health
Khan’s family and legal team have raised concerns about problems with his eyesight, particularly vision loss affecting his right eye.
His supporters have called for access to specialised medical treatment and his personal doctors. The government, however, has maintained that there was no immediate medical emergency and has questioned the need for treatment at a private hospital.
The Supreme Court nevertheless ordered Khan’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination and treatment.
Heavy Security Around Shifa Hospital
Khan’s transfer was carried out under tight security, with police and other security personnel deployed around Shifa International Hospital.
Security measures were strengthened around the facility as supporters and members of the public gathered in the area following news of his transfer.
PTI has urged its supporters to remain calm and avoid gathering outside the hospital while Khan receives medical care. The party welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision and called on workers to respect the court’s directions.
Government Challenges Hospital Transfer Order
The Pakistani government has also challenged the Supreme Court’s decision to send Khan to a private hospital.
The government argued that prisoners should generally receive treatment at public hospitals unless private treatment is considered necessary. On Thursday, however, the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office returned the government’s review petition after raising objections to the filing.
The government may seek to address those objections and pursue the matter further.
Khan to Remain in Hospital Until September Hearing
Under the Supreme Court’s order, Khan is to remain at Shifa International Hospital until the next hearing on September 16, subject to further directions from the court.
The development comes after more than three years of imprisonment for Khan, who has faced multiple criminal and corruption-related cases since his removal as prime minister in 2022. Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party have repeatedly described the cases against him as politically motivated, while authorities have rejected that characterisation.
The hospital transfer has therefore become both a medical and political development, with Khan’s health, legal battles and relationship with Pakistan’s political establishment continuing to attract widespread attention.
