Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan be transferred from Rawalpindi's Adiala prison to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within two days, accepting a demand his party and family had been making for months.
The 73-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been imprisoned since August 2023 after being convicted on multiple charges that he claims were politically motivated. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and his family have repeatedly raised concerns about his health while in custody.
Khan's lawyer Uzair Bhandari told Al Jazeera that the three-member bench also ordered the formation of a medical board to oversee Khan's treatment. The board will include Khan's sister, Dr Uzma Khan, and his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan. The court directed that Khan's family be allowed to meet him at the hospital and that he be permitted to speak with his sons, who live abroad.
A medical examination conducted at Adiala jail last week recorded high blood pressure, palpitations and anxiety. Khan's lawyers have stated that he has lost most of the vision in his right eye. The court ordered that Khan remain at the hospital until September 16.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party spokesman Naeem Haider Panjutha said the Supreme Court's decision came in response to longstanding demands from the party and Khan's family regarding his health condition. Khan's sons have repeatedly expressed concern about the deterioration of their father's health while imprisoned.
Zulfikar Bukhari, a close ally of Khan, stated in a statement that the decision was welcomed but expressed regret that it had not been adopted earlier to prevent further deterioration of Khan's eye and overall health.
Khan served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 before being removed from office. He has maintained that the multiple cases against him were filed with political motivations following his removal from power.
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