PTI slams govt move to review Imran Khan’s hospital transfer order

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its leaders on Wednesday criticised the federal government for seeking a review of the Supreme Court (SC) order directing party founder Imran Khan’s transfer to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital.

The reactions came after the federal government earlier in the day filed a review petition before the SC challenging its order directing Imran’s transfer to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for medical examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board.

The petition, filed through Islamabad Chief Commissioner Syed Waqar Hussain, argued that the direction to shift the prisoner to a private hospital was “in excess of jurisdiction” and overlooked the procedure prescribed under the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 for transferring prisoners to hospitals.

The government’s principal objection was that the transfer of a convicted prisoner to a hospital was specifically governed by the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, particularly Rule 197, which sets out the procedure for moving prisoners outside prison for treatment.

In a post on X, PTI strongly denounced a joint press conference by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, terming it “extremely regrettable, irresponsible and shameful”.

The party said “turning a serious and humanitarian issue” such as Imran’s health “into a subject of political debate, mudslinging and point-scoring is clear proof of the government ministers’ insensitivity and lack of seriousness”.

Referring to Tarar and Chaudhry, PTI said the federal ministers “should remember that this matter is not about the wish of any political party or government, but about a human being’s life, health and basic human rights”.

It said Imran remained in custody while his family, personal physicians and lawyers had continuously expressed concerns about his health.

“The astonishing thing,” the party said, was that “these same ministers are claiming that Imran Khan’s treatment was being carried out in Adiala Jail and that all medical facilities were being provided to him”.

PTI argued that the medical report submitted before the SC had itself been provided by the superintendent of Adiala Jail. According to the party, it was on the basis of this report that the SC’s three-member bench ordered Imran’s transfer to Shifa International, the formation of a specialist medical board and the inclusion of his personal physicians in the medical process.

“Therefore, Attaullah Tarar and Talal Chaudhry should first clarify: if the treatment of Imran Khan in Adiala Jail was so excellent and satisfactory, then why, after the medical condition presented before the Supreme Court, did the court feel the need for his transfer to Shifa International Hospital?”

Recalls Nawaz Sharif’s treatment

PTI also said it was necessary “to remind the nation that when their own leader Nawaz Sharif requested to go abroad for treatment, the PTI government, instead of displaying political vengeance and personal enmity, displayed humanitarian compassion and magnanimity”.

The party said that at the time, ministers in the PTI government, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, acknowledged Sharif’s right to treatment, after which he was granted permission to travel abroad.

“Imran Khan himself also expressed good wishes for Nawaz Sharif’s recovery,” the party said.

PTI added that those “trying to create obstacles in Imran Khan’s basic right to treatment and trying to throw hurdles in the judicial decision” should remember that the party had provided medical assistance and access to Sharif’s personal physicians and had not obstructed his treatment on humanitarian grounds.

“Seeing the attitude of the ministers of the same party today, the nation is justified in asking to what extent of political and moral decline they have fallen, that they are engaging in politics even over the treatment of a former prime minister and the country’s most popular political leader,” PTI said.

The party said Tarar and Chaudhry “should be ashamed that they are turning even the basic right to treatment of a sick and imprisoned political leader into a subject of political debate”.

It argued that if the ministers had confidence in the medical facilities being provided to Imran, “they should have no objection to his examination and treatment by expert doctors at Shifa International Hospital”.

According to PTI, the SC had clearly ordered that Imran be transferred to Shifa International, that a specialist medical board conduct his complete medical examination, and that his personal physicians Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Azma Khan be included in the medical process.

“The government’s job is to implement the court’s order, not to try to make this decision controversial by holding press conferences,” the party said.

PTI said that if the government had objections regarding Imran’s health or treatment, it should have presented its position before the court.

“But raising objections to the decision after the court’s verdict has come, entangling it in legal technicalities, and trying to mislead the public is in no way acceptable,” it said.

“The government should understand that the orders of the Supreme Court are not subject to the government’s will,” PTI said, adding that implementation of judicial decisions was the constitutional and legal responsibility of state institutions.

Leaders denounce review

Former National Assembly speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser took to X to express “extreme grief and sorrow” over statements by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

Both federal ministers had on Tuesday expressed support for reviewing the SC order, with Asif criticising what he described as the PTI’s “desire” to secure an NRO for Imran.

 

Responding to the ministers, Qaiser questioned whether Tarar had forgotten how many times Nawaz Sharif had applied for medical treatment while he was in jail and how many times he received it.

The former NA speaker listed a timeline of treatments reportedly provided to Sharif in January, February, March, October and November before he was granted permission by the judiciary to travel abroad for four weeks for treatment. Qaiser added that Sharif returned four years later.

“PML-N always confronted the superior judiciary and always criticised its decisions,” Qaiser said, arguing that “PTI always accepted the judiciary’s decisions and also acted upon them, and along with this, always spoke about human rights and also acted upon them.”

He also called on political leaders and parties to refrain from politicising Imran’s health and instead support his transfer to hospital, which he described as the PTI founder’s constitutional and legal right.

Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, speaking to reporters, claimed that the Shehbaz Sharif government was “a guest for just a few days”.

He added: “One thing is absolutely certain: no one will accept the minus-Imran Khan formula.”

In a separate post on X, Achakzai said “the injustice being done to Imran Khan is a very bad thing, which the current government is doing”.

He said Imran had “not committed any crime, has not done any bad deed” and was a “prisoner of conscience, a prisoner of principles”.

The opposition leader added that even if Imran were an ordinary prisoner, he would retain the right to be taken to hospital and for his relatives to meet him.

In another post, Achakzai said, “We have become so weak that a rightful right, of a prisoner who is Pakistan’s most popular leader — a rightful act has taken place, and we are celebrating over this too, as if a great sky has been brought down.”

He said Imran had been allowed to go to hospital and that it was “better late than never” and “the door of decency has opened”.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar said “PML-N’s fear-based politics has exposed it before the entire nation”.

According to Azhar, when PML-N leaders were sick and imprisoned, they had medical reports prepared and demanded to travel abroad for treatment, and “their demands used to be accepted as well”.

He said that now “they are not ready to accept the court’s decision based on the authentic medical report of the nation’s real leader”.

Meanwhile, former information minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry described the government’s decision to seek a review of the SC order as “highly condemnable”.

Chaudhry, who is associated with the National Dialogue Committee (NDC), said, “The purpose of this decision is to pressure the Supreme Court and create tension in Pakistan’s political atmosphere.”

He said Imran’s treatment was his basic right and that “creating obstacles in its way is an unwise and unpolitical act”.

“The government should get rid of politically insecure advisors and normalise Pakistan; in this regard, the release of political prisoners is the first basic condition,” he added.

A day earlier, PTI leaders and lawmakers welcomed the SC decision to order the transfer of party founder to Shifa International Hospital for treatment, describing it as an important step towards securing his medical and legal rights.

Read More: PTI leaders, Fazl welcome SC order for Imran Khan’s hospital transfer

The hearing came after a medical board report and a report by the Adiala Jail Superintendent submitted to the SC on Monday recommended more frequent meetings between Imran and his immediate family and spouse to help manage his blood pressure and anxiety, highlighting concerns over the former premier’s blood pressure.

In a statement posted on X, PTI welcomed the court’s direction allowing Imran to meet his family weekly and ordering the formation of a medical board to conduct his medical examination.

The party said Imran, his family and “millions of Pakistanis” had expressed serious concern over his health in recent weeks, adding that the SC order reinforced the demand for him to receive medical treatment under the supervision of specialist doctors.

PTI said a medical board comprising specialists in eye, cardiac and other relevant fields would conduct a comprehensive examination after Imran’s transfer to the hospital.

The party also said the inclusion of Imran’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, and his sister Dr Uzma Khan, would be important to ensure that his medical history, current symptoms and treatment were reviewed comprehensively.

Regarding Imran’s weekly family meetings, PTI said the court’s order would help ensure that his legal and human rights were upheld during what it described as a difficult period.

The party also appealed to its workers, officials and supporters not to gather outside Shifa International Hospital following Imran’s transfer.

“We request our workers to act responsibly in maintaining a peaceful environment outside the hospital in the interest of Imran Khan’s health and treatment, and to cooperate in ensuring full implementation of the court’s orders,” PTI said.

The party said the SC order was an important step towards protecting Imran’s “basic right to health and human dignity” and urged the authorities to implement the decision as issued.