, , , ,

SC order turns into fresh Imran-Govt showdown

August 22, 2026
sc-order-imran-govt-showdown-pakistan

—  Khan’s ister recounts a puzzling late-night transfer as government faces questions over compliance with apex court directive

By Iram Saleem

 A Supreme Court order meant to settle a dispute over the medical treatment of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan has instead opened a fresh front between the government and the opposition party, after authorities took him to Pims rather than the private Shifa International Hospital named by the apex court.

The development has raised questions about the manner in which the government implemented the court’s Tuesday directive and turned what was essentially a medical matter into another institutional and political confrontation.

The PTI on Friday accused the government of “flouting” the Supreme Court order and committing contempt of court, announcing that it would approach the apex court on Saturday.

The controversy deepened after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that Mr Khan had been taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), despite heightened security at Shifa on Thursday night that had fuelled expectations of his transfer there.

The Supreme Court had directed the authorities to shift Mr Khan to Shifa International Hospital for treatment. It had also ordered that his medical reports or information about his health should not be used for political purposes.

The apparent departure from the prescribed arrangement has now placed the government in the position of having to explain whether the Pims visit was merely a medical follow-up or whether it effectively replaced the treatment arrangement ordered by the court.

A night of unanswered questions

Mr Khan’s sister Uzma Khan, who met him at Pims, provided a detailed account of the events leading to the unexpected transfer.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Mr Khan’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, she said she received a call on Thursday asking her to reach Adiala jail.

“We reached the Adiala jail at around 8-8:30pm,” she said.

She and Dr Sultan were taken to the room of a deputy superintendent of police, whom she identified as Sibtain.

Ms Uzma said the official later asked Dr Sultan to accompany him outside while she remained in the room.

After 10 to 15 minutes, she said, a female assistant sub-inspector took her to a car.

She alleged that police officials did not answer her questions, including those about Dr Sultan or where she was being taken.

The destination eventually turned out to be Pims.

“I asked them why you have brought me here; the SC has instructed for his treatment at Shifa International Hospital,” she said, adding that officials told her they were at Pims for a follow-up concerning Mr Khan’s eye.

A surprising reunion

Ms Uzma’s account of her meeting with her brother added a human dimension to an otherwise highly political episode.

She said Pims was unusually dark when she arrived and recalled being guided through the premises with the help of a mobile phone torch.

She was eventually taken upstairs, where she found Mr Khan.

“He too was a little surprised. He then stood up, he was in shock. He told the doctors who were with him that she is my sister and we were meeting after 10 months,” she recalled.

She said she told him that he had been brought for a check-up and would later be taken to Shifa.

Mr Khan’s eye was subsequently examined at Pims, she said.

“There were two to three doctors there, but I was not familiar with any of them. They introduced me to Dr Arif, but I did not know any of the others,” she added.

The bigger question

The dispute now goes beyond the location of a medical examination.

The Supreme Court’s order had specifically identified Shifa International Hospital. The PTI therefore views the decision to take Mr Khan to Pims as a possible violation of the judicial directive.

The government’s position, based on the explanation given to Ms Uzma and the information minister’s statement, appears to be that Mr Khan was taken to Pims for an eye-related follow-up.

Mr Khan has previously been taken to Pims for treatment after being diagnosed with right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in late January.

But the circumstances of Thursday night have left the PTI questioning why the government did not follow the Supreme Court’s stated arrangement.

Court likely to settle the dispute

The PTI’s planned move to the Supreme Court means the matter is likely to return to the institution that issued the original order.

At issue will be whether taking Mr Khan to Pims amounted to non-compliance with the court’s directive, or whether the government can justify the visit as a separate medical examination that did not negate the order regarding Shifa.

The controversy also comes against the backdrop of repeated disputes over Mr Khan’s access to medical treatment, family members and doctors since his imprisonment.

The Supreme Court’s instruction against using his medical information for political purposes was clearly aimed at preventing his health from becoming another weapon in the country’s deeply polarised politics.

Yet the events of Thursday night have done precisely the opposite.

A court order intended to provide a clear medical pathway has now become another test of executive compliance with judicial authority — with the PTI preparing to seek answers from the Supreme Court itself.

Leave a Reply

Related