Government officials defend Imran Khan’s transfer to PIMS on security grounds

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry disclosed on Friday that the decision to relocate PTI founder Imran Khan from Adiala jail to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) was taken by security agencies and not politically motivated. This announcement came after the Supreme Court had previously directed the government to transfer Imran to the private Shifa International Hospital.

On Thursday night, heavy police presence was observed around Shifa as the government prepared to comply with the court's order. However, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar revealed on Friday morning that Imran was instead moved to the government-run Pims. Chaudhry explained that while security arrangements had been made at Shifa, the security agencies could not grant Imran the necessary clearance to be admitted.

He elaborated that after Imran was en route to Shifa, security institutions evaluated the situation and decided that the police and law enforcement agencies could not maintain order. When questioned about the safety of transferring Imran to Pims instead of Shifa, Chaudhry stated that the decision rested with the security authorities.

He emphasized that if security agencies deemed a location unsafe or unable to guarantee its security, they had to abide by their assessment. Chaudhry asserted that the government's decision not to move Imran to Shifa constituted a contempt of court. PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram contended that the government had breached the court's directive by not transferring Imran to Shifa.

He claimed that the medical board assembled by the government was at odds with the court's orders, and he pointed out that Dr Uzma Khan, Imran's sister, and Dr Faisal Sultan, Imran's personal physician, were not part of the board. Akram affirmed that there were more media personnel present at Shifa than the general public. He clarified that during the press conference, discussions were limited to the events of the previous day and did not involve a detailed review of medical reports.

PTI reaffirmed compliance with the court's order, and Akram claimed the government could rectify the situation by moving Imran to Shifa before a potential contempt petition was filed in the Supreme Court. Earlier, Information Minister Tarar reported that Imran had undergone a medical assessment at Pims prior to his transfer back to Adiala jail, and he was declared "medically fit."

He stated that a panel of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, and a physician, conducted the examination and confirmed Imran's fitness. Tarar also mentioned that Imran's sister, Dr Uzma Khan, was present during the evaluation.