Former Prime Minister Imran Khan‘s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has alleged that Khan is being secretly shifted from jail to a hospital for treatment. The party called the reported move a breach of his fundamental rights and warned that it puts his life at risk. The PTI stated that Khan’s family was not taken into confidence and demanded that any medical examination or treatment be conducted in the presence of his personal doctors and at least one family member.
“We totally reject any form of secrecy surrounding the health of the former Prime Minister. Hiding facts once again — reminiscent of past patterns — is tantamount to deliberately putting Imran Khan’s health and life at risk,” news agency IANS quoted the party as saying.
What has the Pakistan government announced?
As per a report by The Express Tribune, the federal government has decided to shift Khan from Adiala Jail to a hospital and form a medical board to monitor his condition “on humanitarian grounds”. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary stated that the government was meeting legal requirements and urged that health issues not be politicised. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar mentioned that Khan’s eye treatment would be carried out at a specialised hospital by ophthalmology experts. A detailed report would be submitted to the Supreme Court, The Express Tribune reported.
An account purportedly run by his sister Aleema Kahnum on X also raised questions on the proposed medical arrangements. She stated that the family’s stand has been clear that Imran Khan “shall not be given any treatment WITHOUT the presence and approval of his personal doctors and family members.” The post further added that, “We do NOT accept any medical board they set up and control,” and claimed that the family was “extremely worried” about what it called resistance to specialists advised by his personal doctors. “Why such fierce resistance? Are they hiding something?” the post read.
Why is this issue escalating?
The Supreme Court had directed authorities to set up a medical board to examine Khan’s eyes following reports of vision loss. Protests and sit-ins by opposition lawmakers have also continued near Parliament House. They demanded that Khan be shifted for treatment under supervision acceptable to PTI. Khan has been in jail since August 2023 and is currently lodged at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.