Imran Khan, Pakistan’s 73-year-old former prime minister, was transported to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad early Friday following a supreme court directive issued after sustained public concern regarding his medical condition. Khan remained at the facility for several hours before authorities returned him to Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, according to a statement from his party’s spokesperson.
Khan’s legal representatives have contended that his health has declined significantly during his incarceration, citing substantial vision loss in his right eye. Government officials counter that medical evaluations have not identified any condition requiring urgent intervention. Pakistan’s information minister stated that Khan was returned to custody after doctors determined he was in adequate health. The supreme court’s directive, issued on Tuesday, mandated the hospital transfer within 48 hours and stipulated access to a medical team that would include Khan’s personal physician, along with involvement of an eye specialist in his treatment.
The case has drawn considerable public attention, with Khan’s family and political party mounting a prolonged campaign for access to specialized medical treatment. Earlier in the year, party officials reported Khan had sustained severe eye complications with only minimal remaining vision and claimed he was being held in isolation while being denied basic medical care and contact with family members and legal counsel. The family ultimately escalated the matter to Pakistan’s supreme court. The jail location has become a regular gathering point where Khan’s supporters and family members have assembled to advocate for improved medical access and permitted visits with his sisters.
Khan was arrested in 2023 on corruption-related charges resulting in a three-year sentence, along with a five-year political disqualification. Subsequently, he received a 14-year sentence in 2025 on additional corruption charges related to alleged illicit acquisition of valuable property through dealings with a Pakistani real estate magnate during his tenure as prime minister. Khan and his party have consistently denied all allegations, asserting the cases are politically motivated. Khan formerly served as Pakistan’s national cricket captain before entering politics and led the government from 2018 to 2022, when he was removed through a no-confidence vote.
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