Islamabad, August 25, 2026: The Supreme Court registrar’s office on Tuesday admitted a contempt of court petition filed by Dr Uzma Khan, sister of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, over the alleged violation of the court’s order directing his transfer to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination.
The petition, initially returned by the registrar’s office with an objection that it did not contain a list of allegations against the respondents, was refiled by the PTI after addressing the objection. It was subsequently assigned case number 8/2026.
Dr Uzma also filed a separate application seeking an early hearing of the contempt petition, citing concerns over her brother’s health and life.
In the petition, she alleged that the federal government had defied the Supreme Court’s August 18 order by transferring Imran Khan to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) instead of Shifa International Hospital.
She argued that if the authorities required any clarification regarding the court’s order, they should have approached the relevant court rather than deviating from the decision.
Dr Uzma requested that the contempt petition be fixed for hearing during the current week, maintaining that deviation from a Supreme Court order was not permissible.
The contempt petition was filed on August 22 by PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja and Uzair Bhandari on behalf of Dr Uzma. It seeks initiation of contempt proceedings against those allegedly responsible for violating the court’s order, along with the issuance of show-cause notices and directions for their personal appearance before the court.
Dispute over Shifa transfer
The controversy stems from the Supreme Court’s August 18 order directing authorities to transfer Imran Khan, who is incarcerated at Adiala Jail, to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination.
Instead, the PTI founder was taken to PIMS, where doctors from Shifa International Hospital were also reportedly present, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
Imran Khan was subsequently returned to Adiala Jail after undergoing a medical examination.
The government has defended the decision, saying security concerns forced authorities to change the destination at the last minute.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the decision to take Imran Khan to PIMS was made by the administration and had nothing to do with the Punjab government.
He said the government considered both Imran’s treatment and security to be of paramount importance and was aware that taking him to PIMS instead of Shifa would trigger criticism.
“Imran’s security was the priority, which is why the decision was made,” he said.
The federal government had also filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s August 18 order, but the registrar’s office returned it with objections. The Islamabad chief commissioner later filed another petition seeking an early hearing of the review matter.
Government, PTI clash in Senate
The dispute also triggered a heated exchange between the government and PTI in the Senate on Tuesday.
PTI Senator Ali Zafar moved a motion seeking to present a resolution on judicial supremacy, arguing that the government had failed to take Imran Khan to Shifa Hospital, had not constituted the medical board and had effectively altered the Supreme Court’s order on its own.
“You may have political differences with the founder, but do not play with someone’s health,” Ali Zafar said.
Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah rejected the PTI’s criticism and said it was for the court, not politicians, to determine whether its order had been complied with.
“Whether the court order was complied with or not — it is for the court to decide,” he said.
Sanaullah accused the PTI of politicising Imran Khan’s health and maintained that the government had acted in accordance with the court’s decision.
He said Imran Khan had been brought to Shifa Hospital but was shifted to a government hospital at the last moment because of security concerns. He added that the government and administration would present evidence regarding the security situation outside Shifa before the court.
He also rejected allegations of negligence, saying no negligence had occurred in the former premier’s treatment and none would be allowed.
PTI says transfer plan changed at last minute
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, speaking to journalists near the Dahgal checkpoint on Adiala Road in Rawalpindi, said the plan to transfer Imran Khan to hospital had been changed at the last minute.
“Whoever changed the plan at the last moment did wrong,” he said.
Gohar claimed the PTI had been close to making significant progress on the issue, but the decision had undermined those efforts. He also expressed disappointment over what he described as inadequate treatment at PIMS.
He said the Supreme Court’s order could still be implemented if the authorities were willing to comply with it.
According to Gohar, the government had never informed the PTI of any security concerns regarding the proposed transfer to Shifa, although the party itself had security concerns about Imran Khan’s safety.
He also said the PTI had issued a clear directive through its core and political committees that no one should go to Shifa Hospital, while Imran Khan’s sister had confirmed that he was taken to PIMS.
Gohar said the contempt petition had now been assigned a case number and that an early hearing had also been requested. He described the matter as a civil contempt case concerning implementation of the Supreme Court’s order.
Government seeks review
The government’s decision to transfer Imran Khan to PIMS rather than Shifa has therefore opened a fresh legal and political confrontation, with the PTI alleging defiance of the Supreme Court and the government insisting that security considerations necessitated the change.
Imran Khan has remained incarcerated since August 2023 after convictions in multiple cases, which he and the PTI describe as politically motivated. Since his ouster as prime minister in April 2022 following a vote of no confidence, he has faced a series of legal proceedings.
The Supreme Court’s response to Dr Uzma Khan’s contempt petition is now expected to determine whether the authorities’ actions constituted a violation of its August 18 directive.
