ISLAMABAD — August 20, 2026: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has opposed the decision to transfer former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan from prison to a private hospital for medical treatment.
Speaking to Geo News, Khawaja Asif questioned whether allowing Imran Khan to receive treatment at a private hospital would create a precedent for other prisoners. He said that other inmates could subsequently demand similar facilities and argue that they too should be treated at private hospitals.
The defence minister referred to the treatment of political leaders in government hospitals, saying that Nawaz Sharif and others had also been sent to government hospitals during periods when they required medical care.
Khawaja Asif also recalled an incident involving Nawaz Sharif, claiming that during one of his operations, doctors had caught a doctor sympathetic to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) recording a video on a mobile phone. He cited the incident while expressing concerns about security and the handling of prisoners receiving medical treatment outside prison facilities.
The minister further said that if there is an opportunity under the Supreme Court’s decision for the government to formally place its position on record, the government would certainly do so.
The controversy follows a Supreme Court order concerning Imran Khan’s transfer from prison to Shifa International Hospital for treatment. The federal government subsequently filed a review petition against the decision. According to reports, the Supreme Court registrar’s office returned the petition with an objection over incomplete paper books, with the government expected to refile it after addressing the objection.
Meanwhile, preparations have reportedly been made for the possibility of transferring Imran Khan to PIMS Hospital, with authorities reviewing medical-board and security arrangements.
Khawaja Asif also criticized the PTI’s conduct during its period in government, questioning the language and treatment he said his party had faced at that time.
The issue has intensified a wider political and legal debate over the medical treatment and hospital facilities available to prisoners, particularly former heads of government and high-profile political figures.
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