Islamabad, February 27, 2026: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday raised objections to a petition seeking the transfer of PTI founder Imran Khan from jail to a private hospital for medical treatment.
The application was filed on February 25 by senior PTI lawyer Latif Khosa, under Order XXXV Rule 6 of the Supreme Court Rules 2025, following the former premier’s government-facilitated follow-up treatment for an eye ailment. Khosa, along with PTI counsel Naeem Panjotha, appeared before Chief Justice Yahya Afridi seeking an early hearing of the matter.
However, CJP Afridi informed the lawyers that the application had been returned with objections a day earlier. “Your petitions will remain pending until further orders,” he remarked, adding that there was currently no application before the court on which proceedings could be conducted.
Khosa contended that the PTI counsel had requested an urgent hearing, stating that the court had earlier ordered medical treatment for the former prime minister. In response, the chief justice clarified that no such order had been issued by the court; rather, the government had provided assurances regarding treatment.
“You should read the court’s decision again as the health issue is not pending,” CJP Afridi observed.
Khosa argued that the transfer request was made on “humanitarian grounds,” not legal or political ones. The chief justice responded that the recent medical check-up had also been conducted on humanitarian grounds.
During the exchange, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan remarked that he understood the counsel’s arguments, while the chief justice advised Khosa, a senior lawyer, to follow due procedure and meet the Supreme Court registrar regarding the objections. He added that if a copy of the objections was not provided, the counsel could return to court.
According to a source, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan also met the chief justice and sought the former premier’s transfer to a hospital, citing concerns expressed by his family and party. He was reportedly informed that the Supreme Court would not interfere while related cases remained pending before the Islamabad High Court.
Imran Khan, who is incarcerated at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, has recently drawn public attention over his health after being diagnosed in late January with right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). A doctor at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences confirmed that he was brought to the hospital on February 24 for follow-up treatment.
However, PTI criticized what it termed the government’s “secrecy” regarding the medical examination.
The petition, filed in connection with the Toshakhana case — in which Imran was first arrested on August 5, 2023 — named the Islamabad district election commissioner as the respondent. It requested the court to order his immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital for specialized treatment by a retina expert.
The plea also sought access for Imran’s personal physicians, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Aasim Yusuf, to be associated with all examination and treatment procedures.
In the application, Khosa highlighted that the 73-year-old former premier’s advancing age and declining health were matters of serious concern for his family and supporters. He argued that conducting a medical examination without notifying the family or independent doctors had created apprehensions and called for transparent medical oversight.
