8 Pakistan Bar Council members condemn govt's 'wilful disregard' of SC order on Imran's hospital transfer

Eight members of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) vehemently denounced the government's "clear, unequivocal and binding" violation of the Supreme Court's directive on Imran Khan's transfer to Shifa International Hospital. The members, including PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Muhammad Maqsood Buttar, emphasized that the government's actions constituted a direct assault on the judiciary's independence, authority, and dignity, threatening the rule of law and constitutional governance.

The PBC members contended that the government had no authority to disregard the Supreme Court's orders, stating that the executive's defiance undermined the constitutional separation of powers. They argued that judicial orders serve as the principal safeguard against arbitrary state action and that non-compliance endangers the rights of every citizen. The statement further clarified that filing a review petition does not suspend the order nor authorize the government to disregard it.

The PBC demanded that those responsible for these violations be identified and that legal proceedings be undertaken against them. They asserted that the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments, which have eroded the supremacy of the rule of law, judiciary, and the Constitution, cannot provide constitutional cover for disobedience of a subsisting order of the SC.

The members noted with particular distress that Imran Khan's treatment contrasted starkly with the treatment afforded to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had been permitted to travel abroad for medical treatment despite a court order. They questioned whether constitutional protection of life, health, dignity, and access to medical treatment was being applied selectively based on political circumstances.