Pakistan court orders new medical board for Khan, rejects immediate hospital transfer

A Pakistani court on Thursday rejected a request by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sister to transfer him from jail to a private hospital for treatment of an eye condition, instead directing authorities to form a new medical board to assess his health.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) asked the chief commissioner of Islamabad to convene the board, which will determine whether Khan should be moved from custody to an external hospital.

The decision came while the court considered a petition seeking his transfer to Shifa International Hospital for examination and treatment.

The hearing, conducted by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, saw senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa represent Khan, while Advocate General Islamabad Ayaz Shaukat and Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez appeared for the government.

During proceedings, Khosa told the court that Khan had been experiencing vision problems in his right eye since October. He said prison doctors initially treated it as a routine issue, but by the time his condition worsened, Khan’s eyesight was reportedly almost lost. Khan was later taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, allegedly without prior notification to his family or legal team.

Khosa alleged the government delayed disclosure of the transfer for five days and only acknowledged it publicly after media reports surfaced. He emphasized that the case was about medical care, not politics, and argued that proper treatment starting in October might have prevented deterioration. He also noted that PIMS lacked a specialist retina doctor at the time.

The lawyer referenced a precedent in which the government allowed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to receive medical treatment outside jail, stressing that prisoners retain constitutional rights, including access to proper healthcare.

The advocate general requested additional time to review medical documents, the “friend-of-the-court” report, and relevant Supreme Court rulings before presenting further arguments. Justice Tahir noted that under prison regulations, a jail superintendent can recommend medical transfers to the government, which may then take appropriate action.

After hearing the arguments, the court rejected the request for a hospital transfer, ruling that Khan should remain in custody while the newly formed medical board conducts a full health assessment.