Imran Khan, former PM of Pakistan, 73, moved from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital after Supreme Court ordered his transfer within 48 hours, marking his longest hospital stay since his August 2023 detention and raising scrutiny of his health and political case.
Early Friday the former premier was escorted under tight security, with hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel surrounding Shifa Hospital. A three‑judge Supreme Court panel ordered an independent medical board, including an eye specialist and Khan’s personal physician, to assess him. The government had initially challenged the order but completed preparations, and PTI confirmed the transfer after Khan’s sister visited him in jail.
The judiciary’s intervention highlights the court’s capacity to influence high‑profile detentions, potentially shaping PTI’s mobilisation ahead of Khan’s next hearing on September 16. Restrictions on gatherings outside the hospital, reinforced by the court’s warning, limit public protests, while international observers note the episode’s impact on Pakistan’s political stability and rule‑of‑law perception.
Khan’s supporters claim he has lost roughly 85 % of vision in his right eye, whereas his lawyer previously reported only about 15 % remains and the government disputes the extent of any impairment.