Imran Khan’s party resubmits contempt plea over alleged hospital order violation

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday resubmitted a contempt of court petition to the Supreme Court regarding the medical care of Ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Uzma Khan, sister of the former PM, originally filed the plea after authorities allegedly violated a judicial directive to shift him to Shifa International Hospital. The legal move followed a brief setback earlier in the day when court officials raised administrative objections.

Why did the Supreme Court registrar return the Imran Khan contempt petition?

The Supreme Court registrar's office briefly returned the contempt petition after raising concerns that the concerned party failed to dispatch the required list of charges levelled against the respondents. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed the procedural error and stated that the party immediately corrected the technical deficiencies before resubmitting the plea to the apex court on Tuesday afternoon.

What court order did the government allegedly violate?

The legal dispute centers on an August 18 Supreme Court order instructing the government to transfer the incarcerated former premier to Shifa International Hospital within two days.

The court mandated that a multidisciplinary medical board examine and treat the PTI leader at the private facility. However, prison authorities instead diverted the former Prime Minister to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a brief medical check-up.

Officials subsequently transported Imran Khan back to Adiala Jail rather than keeping him at the designated private hospital. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, while defending the decision, posted a statement on X that due to extreme security concerns created by unruly political workers gathering along the transport route, the ex-PM was taken to PIMS. However, Uzma Khan, who personally witnessed the medical transfer, rejected these government justifications as deliberate disobedience of binding judicial orders.

Officials Named in the Contempt Petition

The comprehensive legal filing targets multiple top government officials and administrative heads by naming them directly as respondents in the case. The list includes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. The petition also names Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf, Interior Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar, Punjab Inspector General Prisons Mian Salik Jalal, and Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig.

The petitioner formally requested the apex court to appoint a local commission or depute a dedicated judicial officer to enforce the original order. This measure aims to bypass ongoing state obstructions and ensure the immediate transfer of the former prime minister to the designated private hospital.