Ex-PM Imran Khan returned to Adiala jail following Supreme Court-mandated hospital evaluation

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was transported back to Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail during the early hours of Friday, after undergoing a specialized medical checkup.

According to Information Minister Atta Tarar, Imran Khan was taken to PIMS Hospital instead of Shifa International Hospital due to security concerns along the route and outside Shifa Hospital.

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar said in a statement on X that, in light of the Supreme Court’s decision, the prisoner (Imran Khan) was taken to a hospital during the night between August 20 and 21, 2026, under appropriate security arrangements.

According to Atta Tarar, a team of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician, conducted a detailed medical examination and declared him medically fit.

His sister, Uzma Khan, remained present throughout all stages of the medical examination and treatment, the minister said. After completion of the entire process, he was shifted back to Adiala Jail at approximately 5:00 am on August 21, 2026, Atta Tarar added.

Why was Imran Khan transferred to PIMS instead of Shifa International Hospital?

Atta Tarar said in his X post that the medical examination was conducted at PIMS Hospital, with doctors from Shifa International Hospital also present.

He said Khan was taken to PIMS instead of Shifa because of the security situation created by PTI workers on the route to and outside Shifa Hospital. He added that medical facilities would continue to be provided whenever Khan needed them.

Why was Imran Khan transferred to the hospital?

The Supreme Court directed federal authorities to transfer the former prime minister to Shifa International Hospital to undergo medical evaluation by a multidisciplinary board.

Official prison medical reports presented to the court highlighted complaints of uncontrolled blood pressure, eye ailments, and cardiac stress. The bench mandated that the medical panel include an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, a general surgeon, and an internal medicine specialist, alongside Khan's personal physician, Dr. Faisal Sultan.

Security convoys escorted Khan from Adiala Jail at 12:35 a.m., arriving at the Sector H-8 facility around 1:20 a.m. Islamabad Police deployed roughly 900 law enforcement personnel to secure surrounding roadways and cordon off hospital entrances during the examination.

The federal government previously filed a review petition arguing that private hospital transfers bypass standard prison regulations, but the Supreme Court registrar returned the petition due to incomplete documentation. Defense lawyers have repeatedly expressed concern over Khan's health and vision deterioration while in custody.

What are the next steps in Imran Khan's legal and medical proceedings?

Following his medical examination, security personnel immediately returned Khan to Adiala Jail to resume his detention. The Supreme Court directed medical personnel to submit full diagnostic records and board evaluations before the next scheduled court hearing.

The apex court emphasized that medical care remains a basic constitutional entitlement while directing authorities to maintain strict law and order around healthcare facilities.