Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan’s family accuses gov’t of defying hospital order

Islamabad, Pakistan - Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was returned to jail early Friday following a court-ordered medical examination at a hospital, according to the government. The Supreme Court ordered Khan's transfer to the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad last Tuesday for treatment, following his lawyers' concerns about his health.

Khan, a former cricket captain, was accompanied by his wife, Bushra Bibi, who serves as his spiritual guide. Both were sentenced to 17 years in prison last year on charges of corruption and other offenses, which they claim are politically motivated.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that Khan was taken to the public Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) due to security concerns arising from his supporters at the private clinic. A team of doctors, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, and physician, conducted a thorough examination of Khan and declared him medically fit. Khan's sister, Uzma Khan, a medical doctor, was present during the examination.

Khan's supporters gathered outside the hospital, with hundreds of police present, including some with batons, after roads leading to the clinic were cordoned off. The former prime minister has a history of medical visits to PIMS, where he received eye treatment earlier this year, as his family and lawyers reported that he had lost most of his vision in his right eye.

The court had cautioned against public gatherings near the hospital or disseminating medical information for political advantage, warning that such actions could lead to the reversal of the order.

The next court hearing is scheduled for September 16. Khan served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022 before being ousted in a no-confidence vote amid a political dispute over tensions between his government and the powerful military establishment. He has faced numerous legal cases on corruption and other charges, which his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party alleges are politically motivated.

Khan's arrest in May 2023 sparked nationwide protests, some of which turned violent, resulting in hundreds of arrests. Khan's political career, marked by his popularity derived from his cricket career and victory in the 1992 World Cup, was derailed as his party struggled to improve Pakistan's economic situation, plagued by high inflation, mounting debt, and a weakening currency.