Islamabad, August 22, 2026: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday approached the Supreme Court seeking contempt proceedings against government officials over what it described as a violation of the court’s order directing the transfer of party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical examination and treatment.
The contempt petition was filed by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and lawyer Uzair Bhandari on behalf of Imran’s sister, Dr Uzma Khan. The petition seeks initiation of contempt proceedings against those allegedly responsible for failing to implement the Supreme Court’s August 18 order, issuance of show-cause notices and directions for the respondents to appear personally before the court.
The petition has named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar as respondents.
The PTI has also asked the Supreme Court to declare the respondents guilty of contempt and punish them in accordance with the law. It further seeks the immediate transfer of Imran to Shifa International Hospital and the appointment of a judicial officer or constitution of a local commission to oversee and ensure implementation of the court’s order.
The move comes amid an escalating dispute between the government and PTI over the implementation of the apex court’s directive.
On August 18, a three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed had ordered the government to transfer Imran from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital within two days for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board.
The court had also directed that Dr Uzma Khan and Imran’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, be present during the medical examination. At the same time, the court barred Imran’s family members, PTI representatives and lawyers from disclosing his health condition or medical reports to the media or the public until the next hearing.
However, instead of being taken to Shifa, Imran was taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) during the night of August 20-21 and returned to Adiala jail at around 5am on August 21.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the decision to take Imran to Pims was made because of a security situation allegedly created by PTI workers along the route to and outside Shifa International Hospital.
According to Tarar, Imran underwent a detailed medical examination at Pims in the presence of doctors from Shifa International Hospital and was declared medically fit before being taken back to prison.
Pims said on Saturday that two specialists from Shifa participated in Imran’s eye examination, while relevant Pims specialists conducted his other medical examinations. The hospital said it would not disclose the contents of his medical report because of patient confidentiality and the Supreme Court’s directives.
PTI says SC order was clear
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad after filing the contempt petition, Salman Akram Raja rejected the government’s position and maintained that the Supreme Court’s order was unambiguous.
He said the court had specifically directed that Imran be transferred to Shifa International Hospital and argued that the authorities could not substitute another medical facility at their discretion.
Raja also defended the timing of the contempt petition, saying the matter could not necessarily have been heard immediately even if the petition had been filed a day earlier.
“It is incorrect that if we had filed the petition yesterday, it would have been listed yesterday,” he said, explaining that petitions filed before the Supreme Court undergo scrutiny before being fixed for hearing.
Raja said an immediate hearing could only take place if the court specifically decided to take up the matter on an urgent basis.
The PTI had earlier announced that it would approach the apex court after accusing the government of failing to comply with its August 18 directive.
Government rejects contempt allegations
The government, meanwhile, has strongly rejected the PTI’s allegations and accused the opposition party of itself violating the Supreme Court’s directions.
Addressing the media on Saturday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said health issues should not be turned into a political matter.
“PML-N believes that health issues should not be used for political gain,” he said, adding that the party’s position had remained the same whether it was in government or opposition.
Tarar said the government had neither mocked Imran’s health nor made controversial statements about his medical condition since the Supreme Court issued its order.
He maintained that the court’s order had effectively been implemented, arguing that Imran was taken to a hospital, medically examined, his sister was present and doctors from Shifa International Hospital participated in the process.
“The next question is whether there was implementation of the order. The answer is yes. Was the checkup done? Yes. Was it done with transparency? Yes. Was his sister present there? Yes. Were doctors from Shifa [Hospital] present there? Yes. All the obligations were completed,” Tarar said.
He termed the PTI’s contempt petition “baseless” and said the government had been transparent in communicating developments to the public.
Tarar also accused PTI supporters of violating the court’s directions by gathering around Shifa International Hospital and removing security barriers.
He argued that the Supreme Court had specifically directed that the former premier’s medical information should not be used for political purposes.
“If somebody is in contempt, it is Imran Khan’s sister and his party who are in contempt,” Tarar said, alleging that the former premier’s family and party had created difficulties for the authorities.
Dispute over review petitions
The latest confrontation follows a series of legal moves by the government challenging the Supreme Court’s August 18 order.
The government had initially filed a review petition questioning whether the law and Constitution permitted the transfer of a prisoner to a private hospital and whether such treatment could be extended to other prisoners in similar circumstances.
The Supreme Court registrar’s office returned the petition on August 20, citing defects in the affidavit, factual presentation and paper books, and directed that the objections be removed before resubmission.
Separately, the Islamabad chief commissioner filed another review petition, arguing that the August 18 order appeared discriminatory and adversely affected the constitutional authority of his office.
The petition contended that the Constitution guaranteed equality before the law and warned that allowing a prisoner to receive treatment at a private hospital could create a precedent for other inmates seeking similar facilities.
It also argued that the Pakistan Prison Rules primarily provide for treatment in prison hospitals and, where necessary, civil or district headquarters hospitals, and questioned the legal basis for directing the transfer of a convicted prisoner to a private medical facility.
Security arrangements at Shifa
The controversy intensified after elaborate security arrangements were made around Shifa International Hospital on the night of August 20, with police personnel deployed and roads leading to the facility cordoned off.
The preparations had led to expectations that Imran would be taken to the private hospital in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive.
However, the government subsequently disclosed that he had instead been taken to Pims.
The government has maintained that the decision was prompted by security concerns, while PTI leaders have rejected the explanation and accused the authorities of deliberately avoiding implementation of the Supreme Court’s order.
The dispute now places the government and PTI on opposing sides before the same court whose August 18 order triggered the controversy, with the PTI seeking contempt proceedings and the government continuing to challenge aspects of the directive.
