Pakistan Supreme Court orders jailed ex-PM Imran Khan to be moved to hospital

Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan to be transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical examinations, according to his lawyers. The 73-year-old, who has been incarcerated since 2023 on corruption charges, will be relocated within the next two days, stated Justice Shahid Waheed.

Khan and his wife, spiritual guide Bushra Bibi, were both handed 17-year prison sentences last year. However, there is no specific information provided about the nature of Khan's health concerns mentioned in the petition. He received eye treatment at a hospital earlier this year, according to his family and legal team, indicating that he had lost most of his vision in his right eye.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party issued a statement through their secretary general, Salman Akram Raja, praising the court's decision as a "major step, a major decision, a great blessing". He cautioned supporters of the ex-cricket captain, who remains Pakistan's most influential political figure, to adhere to the court's agreement that no crowding or commotion should occur.

Khan served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022 before being removed in a no-confidence vote amidst political tensions with the country's powerful military establishment. Since his arrest, Khan has faced numerous legal cases alleging corruption and other charges, which his party claims are politically motivated. His conviction has sparked nationwide protests in May 2023, some of which turned violent leading to hundreds of arrests.

Khan, who rose to prominence through his success in cricket, was elected by millions of Pakistanis who admired him as an all-rounder and World Cup-winning captain in 1992. He had envisioned a national welfare state modeled on the Islamic golden age of the seventh to 14th centuries, but his party's economic reforms have struggled to improve Pakistan's financial situation, marked by rising inflation, mounting debt, and a weak rupee.