Pakistan’s Top Court Orders Imprisoned Ex-PM Imran Khan to Undergo Medical Examination

In a significant development, Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered authorities to take imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to a private hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination. This move comes after months of concerns from Khan’s family and personal physicians about his health and access to medical care.

According to reports, a three-judge panel of the Supreme Court has ordered that Khan be taken to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad in the coming days. He will be examined by a medical board comprising specialists, including one of his personal physicians, Faisal Sultan. The court has also directed prison officials to allow Khan weekly meetings with family members and telephone calls with his sons.

Khan’s family has been struggling to secure access to him and have him examined by physicians of his choice. The court’s order is seen as a significant victory for Khan’s family, who have been advocating for his health and well-being.

The Supreme Court’s decision comes after Khan petitioned the court, asking to be transferred from a high-security prison in Rawalpindi to a hospital and to be allowed access to his personal physicians, family, and lawyers. Khan’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, has welcomed the court’s order, saying that it is a significant step towards ensuring Khan’s health and well-being.

Raja has also urged Khan’s supporters not to gather outside the hospital when the former premier is taken there, saying that they should avoid inconveniencing other patients.

The court’s order is a significant development in the ongoing saga surrounding Khan’s imprisonment and health. Khan has been in prison since 2023 after being convicted in a graft case. He was removed from office in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, and has since been alleging that his ouster was the result of a U.S.-backed conspiracy involving political rivals and Pakistan’s former army chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Khan remains a central figure in Pakistani politics and retains a large following. Despite his legal troubles, his popularity and influence continue to be a significant factor in the country’s political landscape.