{
  "id": 2100260,
  "title": "SC returns govt's review plea against Imran’s transfer to Shifa Hospital",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/sc-returns-govts-review-plea-against-imrans-transfer-to-shifa-hospital-2100260",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T08:38:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2024115/sc-returns-govts-review-plea-against-imrans-transfer-to-shifa-hospital"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Thursday, the Supreme Court (SC) dismissed a review petition submitted by the federal government against its decision on August 18 to transfer former prime minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital. The SC registrar's office rejected the petition due to incomplete paper records. The SC had initially ordered the government to transfer Imran to the hospital within two days for evaluation and treatment by a team of medical experts. The three-judge bench, led by Justice Shahid Waheed and including Justices Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Ishtiaq Ibrahim, also permitted Imran's personal physician and sister to be involved in his medical care, and directed authorities to allow regular family visits. However, the government filed a review petition arguing that the order was discriminatory and violated prison rules and principles of natural justice. They claimed that Rule 197 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, which regulated the transfer of prisoners to hospitals, was overlooked by the SC. The review petition further argued that ordering treatment for a convict in a private hospital, based on a report without evidence of urgent medical need, would undermine the criminal justice system. The petition also emphasized that the August 18 order was discriminatory as similarly situated prisoners had not been given the same privilege to receive medical treatment at private hospitals of their choice, in violation of prison regulations.",
  "summary": "ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday returned a review petition filed by the federal government against its Aug 18 order for shifting incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital. The SC registrar’s office returned the petition, citing incomplete paper books as the reason. An informed source told Dawn that the review petition may be filed afresh with certain…",
  "key_points": [
    "Three-judge bench led by Justice Shahid Waheed permits Imran Khan's medical care and family visits.",
    "Government argues transfer violates prison rules and natural justice principles."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Supreme Court's dismissal of the government's review plea means Imran Khan's transfer to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment, as ordered earlier, will proceed as directed.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}