Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday ordered Adiala jail authorities to transfer incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical assessment and treatment until September 16. During the course of hearing Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Amir Rehman vehemently opposed the directions of the court regarding shifting of Imran Khan to hospital and requested the court to make his stance part of the order.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, issued the interim order after hearing petitions concerning the former prime minister's medical treatment and meetings with his family members.

The petitioners included Imran Khan, his sister Dr. Uzma Khan, PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja and PTI leader Senator Mashal Azam Yousafzai.

Imran Khan, 74, has remained in prison since August 2023 following convictions he and his party describe as politically motivated. Since his ouster in April 2022 following a no-confidence vote, he has faced multiple legal cases, including allegations of state gifts and an unlawful marriage case.

While some convictions have been suspended or overturned, several appeals remain pending before higher courts. Imran Khan and his party continue to deny all allegations of wrongdoing.

The court ordered the constitution of a medical board to assess and treat Imran Khan. It also ordered that Dr. Uzma and Imran's personal physician Dr. Faisal Sultan be present during his medical assessment and treatment, with his family to bear the expenses.

Authorities were directed to transfer the ex-premier to the hospital under tight security and complete the necessary arrangements within a few days. The court stressed that law and order outside the hospital must not be affected during his stay.

The bench ordered that Imran remain at Shifa International Hospital until the next hearing on September 16 and directed that his medical report not be used for political purposes.

The court warned that any violation of its directions could result in the withdrawal of facilities being provided to the PTI founder.

During the hearing, the court also directed authorities to submit the PTI founder's complete medical record, after Justice Shahid Waheed questioned Islamabad's Advocate General Naveed Malik about why only a summary had been submitted.

A two-page medical report had been submitted to the Supreme Court by the superintendent of Adiala jail on Monday, detailing the former premier's medical treatment and health monitoring during his incarceration.

The report included a summary of 39 medical check-ups conducted by different specialists between November 4, 2023 and August 10, 2026. It said several government doctors had examined Khan, with records of the consultations maintained by jail authorities.

According to the report, Khan received treatment from leading ophthalmologists in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), an eye condition he was previously diagnosed with. It said his affected eye had "almost regained normal vision".

"What is the restriction on providing the complete medical record? We want the complete record, not a summary, " Justice Waheed remarked during today's hearing.

The bench discussed Imran's medical condition in light of a report submitted by Adiala jail authorities on Monday. Justice Waheed observed that the report indicated Imran's pulse and heart condition were not normal and that his vital organs had started being affected.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan referred to the report's recommendation for angiography and asked whether the procedure could be performed at the jail. The Islamabad advocate general replied that it could be conducted at a hospital outside the prison.

The PTI lawyer said the cause of Imran's blood clot should be established and sought permission for Dr. Uzma and the ex-premier's personal physician, Dr. Aasim Yusuf, to meet him.

Justice Waheed asked whether Dr. Uzma was a PhD doctor, to which lawyer Uzair Karamat Bhandari replied that she was a medical doctor. The judge also noted that Dr. Aasim was a gastroenterologist and observed that the report did not indicate a stomach-related problem.

Bhandari then suggested that Dr. Faisal Sultan be allowed to meet Imran. Justice Waheed noted that none of the petitioners had questioned the qualifications of the doctors who had examined the PTI founder.

Bhandari assured the court that Dr. Uzma and Dr. Aasim would not speak to the media after meeting the former prime minister.

The issue of media interactions following meetings with Imran also came under discussion. The Islamabad advocate general said a previous assurance that no media talk would take place had been violated and that the matter was pending before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Senior PTI lawyer Salman Akram Raja argued that if an assurance given by him had been violated, responsibility should not be attributed to others.

Justice Waheed warned that if contempt proceedings were initiated against officials for violating court directions, action could also be taken against Raja.

The judge said the PTI and Imran's family would have to provide an undertaking that no media talk would take place after meetings with him.

Justice Afghan urged the PTI to refrain from politicising Imran's medical condition and medical treatment. "The PTI people need to decide one thing: there will be no politics over the founder's medical condition, " he observed.

The bench also questioned restrictions on meetings between the PTI founder and his sisters. Justice Waheed said such meetings were not a favour but a fundamental right. "What is the problem in arranging meetings with his sisters?" he asked, adding that the state could not violate fundamental rights.

The Islamabad advocate general told the court that Imran had met his sisters 48 times during the past three years. The court directed authorities to provide details of all those meetings.

The bench also sought details of the ex-premier's meetings and communication with his sons, including call detail records (CDRs).

Justice Afghan directed authorities to provide complete details of Imran's cases, including the number in which he was an under-trial prisoner, the number in which he had been convicted and the cases in which his sentences had been suspended.

The court also questioned why directions issued by the IHC regarding Khan's meetings had not been implemented.

AG Islamabad Naveed said the matter was pending before the high court in an intra-court appeal and that the government had not yet been served notice.

During the hearing, Dr. Uzma attempted to address the court, but Justice Afghan stopped her, saying her lawyers of the parties were present and she should not speak directly.

The Supreme Court directed authorities to submit Imran's complete medical record, records of his meetings over the past three years and details of his communication with his sons before the next hearing.

Adiala jail officials were also summoned to the next hearing. The hearing was adjourned until September 16.

Reacting to the apex court's decision, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said the government would implement the order "in letter and spirit".

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, talking to journalists during the Senate session, said PTI senators were seen praising the Supreme Court after its decision. "PTI has realised that the courts are dispensing justice, " he said.

The minister said the prime minister did not have executive authority to act contrary to decisions of the courts.

"Everyone has secured their release through the courts in the past, " Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said, adding that the judiciary was the only avenue for securing release.