Islamabad, August 18, 2026: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to shift jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for a comprehensive medical examination within the next few days.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed and comprising Justices Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Ishtiaq Ibrahim issued the directives while hearing several petitions seeking Imran’s hospitalisation, access to his personal physicians and family members, and the provision of his medical information to his family.
Imran had approached the Supreme Court in May seeking his transfer to Shifa International Hospital, access to his personal doctors, family members and lawyers, and the sharing of his medical details with his family.
The court ordered the formation of a medical board at Shifa International Hospital to conduct a comprehensive examination of the former premier. The board will include a cardiologist, a general medicine specialist, an eye specialist and Imran’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan. Dr Uzma Khan, Imran’s sister and petitioner in the case, will also be associated with the medical examination.
The court directed that the expenses of the complete medical examination would be borne by Imran’s family and attendants, as assured by the petitioner.
Justice Waheed observed that the order was being issued in view of concerns regarding Imran’s health and the constitutional protection of the right to life and access to medical facilities under Article 9.
“Mindful of this fundamental right, we are issuing this order to ensure health and safety of the prisoner,” the judge said while dictating the order.
The directives were issued despite opposition from Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Aamir Rehman, who argued that the former premier could not be shifted to a private hospital at that stage and that the government had not been served notice regarding the proposed transfer.
Justice Waheed noted, however, that the AAG had participated in the proceedings before the court.
Restrictions imposed on medical report, gatherings
The Supreme Court imposed several conditions alongside its order.
Family members, doctors and lawyers associated with the case have been barred from sharing the medical board’s report with the media or the public or using it for political purposes.
The court warned that any violation could result in immediate withdrawal of the facility granted to Imran. It also said the government would be free to approach the court if it believed the facility was being misused, while the petitioner’s side could file an application in case of reluctance by the government to implement the order.
The court further directed Imran’s party, family members and lawyers to ensure that no public gathering or rally was organised outside Shifa International Hospital.
The jail authorities were also ordered to facilitate weekly meetings between Imran and his family members, along with telephone conversations between the former premier and his sons.
The Supreme Court will resume hearing the part-heard case on September 16.
PTI welcomes ruling
The PTI welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision and expressed hope that the directives would be implemented immediately and without delay.
In a statement posted on X, the party appealed to its workers and supporters not to gather outside Shifa International Hospital and urged them to respect the court’s directions.
The party described the ruling as an important step towards safeguarding Imran’s fundamental rights to health and human dignity.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, termed the ruling a “ray of hope” and said the party was grateful that its longstanding demand for Imran’s medical examination at Shifa International Hospital had been accepted.
Raja said the Supreme Court’s order would also ensure that Imran’s family received authentic information regarding his health.
He assured the court that he and the PTI would comply with all its directives, including the prohibition on gatherings outside the hospital and the restriction on making Imran’s medical report public.
“We made this promise to the court because Imran’s health and life are important to us,” he said.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who spoke alongside Raja, also welcomed the ruling and urged PTI workers to remain peaceful and avoid any action that could undermine the court’s directives.
Government assures implementation
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told media that the government would implement the Supreme Court’s order “to the very letter”.
“Our differences with the PTI founder are political, not personal,” he said, adding that Imran’s health had been and would remain the responsibility of the federal government.
Jail report raises health concerns
The Supreme Court’s ruling came a day after the superintendent of Adiala Jail submitted a report on Imran’s health.
According to the report, the jail administration said adequate healthcare facilities were being provided to the former premier and that his health and well-being remained a priority. Medical officers reportedly examine him three times a day, including monitoring his meals, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation.
An annexure to the report, however, stated that Dr Akhtar Ali Bandeshah of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) examined Imran on August 1 after he complained of uncontrolled and fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches and restlessness.
The report said Imran attributed some of his stress to infrequent meetings with his wife, family and social contacts, as well as limited access to newspapers and television.
The doctor recommended measures to reduce mental stress, including more frequent meetings with his wife and access to reading material. He also recommended CT coronary angiography and an increase in blood-pressure medication, noting the risk of complications.
On August 10, a medical board comprising PIMS specialists examined Imran after he complained of heaviness in the head and palpitations. The board recommended a one-hour daily walk and relaxation as part of his prison routine, along with access to newspapers, magazines, television and books.
It also recommended more frequent interaction with immediate family members or his spouse, saying such interaction could help reduce anxiety and control his blood pressure.
The report also referred to Imran’s treatment for an eye condition at PIMS and said his vision had almost returned to normal following treatment by senior ophthalmologists. He has been taken to PIMS several times for treatment of right central retinal vein occlusion, an eye condition first reported in late January.
The issue of Imran’s health has remained a point of contention between the PTI and the government, with the opposition repeatedly demanding his transfer to Shifa International Hospital, treatment in the presence of his personal physicians and greater access to his family.
