Pakistani court unfreezes accounts of hospital, university founded by ex-PM Imran Khan

A Pakistani antiterrorism court on Monday ordered the unfreezing of bank accounts belonging to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) and Namal University, after being told the accounts were inadvertently blocked due to their connection with the national ID of Aleema Khan, a suspect in a recent protest-related case.

The ruling clears the way for two major institutions linked to former premier Imran Khan, who is currently in jail. SKMT, one of Pakistan’s largest charitable hospitals, is known for providing cancer treatment largely funded by public donations, while Namal University, an educational institution in Mianwali, was founded by Khan to provide higher education in underserved regions.

The accounts were frozen following a protest on November 26, during which Aleema Khan was booked under anti-terrorism provisions. The State Bank of Pakistan acted on a court directive to freeze her personal and business accounts.

However, because Aleema Khan’s national ID number had been used in documentation for institutional accounts, the accounts of SKMT and Namal University were also inadvertently blocked.

During Monday’s hearing, ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah heard arguments from legal representatives of both the hospital and the university. Prosecutor Zaheer Shah clarified that the prosecution had not requested the freezing of SKMT or Namal University accounts and that the issue arose purely due to administrative procedures linking the institutions’ accounts to Aleema Khan’s ID.

With no objection from the prosecution, the court ordered the immediate defreezing of four SKMT accounts and all Namal University accounts.

The decision restores financial access to the institutions, allowing SKMT to continue patient care, receive donations and maintain supply lines and enabling Namal University to resume regular academic and operational activities without interruption.