Pakistan’s ex-PM Imran Khan sent back to prison after disputed medical examination
He was sent back to prison early Friday morning after doctors examined him and deemed him medically fit. The examination took place at a government hospital rather than the Court-mandated private hospital, Shifa International Hospital, where he was supposed to be taken for specialist care. This marks the first significant medical care Khan has received since his imprisonment in 2023 on corruption charges and comes months after his lawyer said his steady loss of vision in the right eye was due to medical neglect from prison authorities.
In a Nutshell:
- On Friday, Khan was taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) where he was examined by an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician, and returned to Adiala Jail after being declared medically fit.
- This happened despite the Supreme Court’s order to take him to the privately run Shifa Hospital within 48 hours for specialist examination and treatment after concerns over his health and decreasing eyesight.
- In February, Khan’s lawyer said he had lost 85% of the vision in his right eye because prison authorities had failed to provide timely treatment, a claim the government disputed.
- When Khan’s family and sources close to the military establishment raised the possibility of his release on health grounds on August 3, they cited Nawaz Sharif’s 2019 medical release as a precedent.
- PTI says authorities failed to follow the Supreme Court order by using PIMS instead of Shifa and is seeking contempt proceedings, while the government says security concerns forced the change.
Context
Khan has remained in prison since 2023 despite securing relief in numerous other cases because his major convictions continue to keep him detained. These include the 14-year Al Qadir Trust sentence and the 17-year Toshakhana 2 sentence handed down in December 2025, leaving a health-based release as a possible route that would not depend on those convictions being overturned. In February, Khan’s lawyer said that only 15% vision remained in his right eye after prolonged failure to provide adequate treatment. Prison authorities rejected the allegation and later told the court that his eyesight had improved significantly. A Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae had also reported a significant loss of sight after visiting Khan in jail. Even with the Supreme Court order not being followed, the hospital visit itself is a rare concession by prison authorities.
Why it matters
Khan’s family and lawyers have been bringing up his worsening health condition for months in their requests to the government to allow him access to medical care and visits with family members. And, they have not been alone in this concern, with a Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae backing up these claims in February. Only now has the judiciary seemingly made a concession on humanitarian grounds for the ailing ex-PM. Last Tuesday, the panel wrote in the court order that they are “mindful of the constitutional and legal obligation... to safeguard the life, health, dignity and security of the prisoner." In line with this statement, it ordered specialist medical care for Khan at the privately-run Shifa Hospital within 48 hours, as well as visits with his family. But why is this special order coming now for the first time in months? Is the government finally more amenable to requests from Imran Khan’s family and representatives, or is this another strategy to silence criticism at home and abroad over his poor treatment? With Khan being sent back to Adiala Jail, it is uncertain whether there will be any change for the better in how he is treated and if he will be allowed further medical and family visits.
What we think
How committed is the Court to the statements made in the order last Tuesday? This is ambiguous in light of the sudden change in Imran Khan's transfer from the court-mandated, privately run Shifa Hospital to a government hospital. It will be difficult for not just his family but also all onlooking observers to believe that this was done solely for security purposes. The rumour of Imran Khan dying inside his cell was catching up to Pakistan. If the Court is serious about the obligation it has claimed to protect his health and dignity, it should continue to monitor whether he receives the specialist treatment and family access it ordered, rather than treating Friday's examination as a closed matter.