Court order leads to hospital transfer
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, ordered that former Prime Minister Imran Khan be moved from jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical examination, fulfilling a long-standing demand by his supporters and family who had raised concerns about his health. Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 following his ouster from office in 2022.
The court directed that Khan be transferred within 48 hours and remain at the hospital until September 16, with access to a medical panel including his personal physician. On early Friday, August 21, Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced in a text message to journalists that he had been shifted from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital following the Supreme Court order.
The move was seen as a potential first step toward easing tensions between Khan's party and Pakistan's powerful military establishment, which have been at odds since his removal from power in a no-confidence vote in 2022.
Health concerns and government response
Khan's lawyers have said his health has deteriorated during more than three years in prison, including significant vision loss in his right eye. The government has said medical reports disclosed no condition requiring immediate treatment.
PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari called the ruling a "very welcome order" and expressed a wish that it had happened sooner to prevent further deterioration of Khan's eye and general health. In a separate interview with Reuters, Bukhari described the ruling as a "new ray of hope," while confirming the party would proceed with a nationwide march on September 27 to demand access to Khan, speedy hearings in his cases, and his release.
Khan's spokesperson Naeem Haider Panjutha said on X that Khan should remain in hospital until all doctors are satisfied.
The government had initially signaled opposition to the transfer. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar argued that a convicted prisoner must be treated inside the jail or at a public hospital according to law, and requested that Khan's medical tests be carried out at a government hospital instead. However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry later said the government would fully comply with the Supreme Court's ruling, clarifying that its request for clarification was not intended to defy or delay implementation.
Later on Friday, a PTI spokesman was cited by Reuters as saying that Khan had been moved back to prison. Dozens of Khan supporters had gathered near the hospital, with security deployed in anticipation of the former prime minister's arrival.
Background
Khan, a former cricket star who led Pakistan from 2018 until his ouster, has faced multiple legal cases, including over state gifts and an unlawful marriage. He denies any wrongdoing, saying the cases are politically motivated, an accusation the government denies. Some of his convictions have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending.
His arrest in early 2023 triggered nationwide protests that resulted in hundreds of arrests. PTI, which won power in 2018 and retains a large support base, was stripped of its election symbol ahead of the 2024 vote, forcing its candidates to run as independents.
International cricket greats, including from India, demanded better treatment for Khan in February, expressing "deep concern" about his prison conditions.