Pakistan: Former PM Khan briefly moved to private hospital

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital under tight security, according to local media reports. The move followed a Supreme Court order that demanded his transfer to the hospital within 48 hours, along with access to a medical panel including his personal physician. Khan, 73, arrived at the hospital early Friday, with hundreds of police personnel present to maintain security.

Zulfi Bukhari, a spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, confirmed the transfer to AFP. Former Pakistani President Arif Alvi, also a PTI member, expressed happiness over Khan’s move to the hospital, stating that the entire country is rejoicing. The Supreme Court's order was a response to a petition filed by Khan’s lawyers, who argued that his health had deteriorated during his incarceration.

The court also ordered the formation of a medical board to assess and treat the former prime minister. Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption and other charges, which he claims were politically motivated. Prior to his arrest, Khan was the prime minister from 2018 to 2022, ousted in a no-confidence vote amid political tensions with the military establishment. His supporters had previously reported a decline in his health while in prison.