Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan has accused the federal government of disregarding the Supreme Court’s order concerning Imran Khan’s medical examination and of putting the PTI founder’s health at risk.
Speaking on Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, Shafi Jan said the Supreme Court had specifically ordered that Imran Khan be taken to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination. According to him, there were no PTI workers gathered outside the hospital who could have created a security problem or prevented the authorities from carrying out the court’s directions.
Shafi Jan questioned the government’s decision to transfer Imran Khan to PIMS instead of Shifa International Hospital. He argued that the location specified in the court order should have been followed.
He further claimed that Imran Khan did not undergo the comprehensive medical tests that the PTI had expected. According to Shafi Jan, only his blood pressure was checked and an injection was administered in his eye. He questioned what kind of medical report the government would present before the Supreme Court following such an examination.
The provincial minister also said that the PTI would not accept whatever medical report the government eventually submits to the Supreme Court. He maintained that the party considers the examination inadequate because, in his view, it did not comply with the requirements of the court’s order.
Shafi Jan’s comments come amid an escalating dispute between the PTI and the government over Imran Khan’s medical examination. The Supreme Court had ordered that the former prime minister be transferred to Shifa International Hospital for a medical check-up. Instead, he was taken to PIMS, where doctors examined him before he was returned to Adiala Jail.
PIMS subsequently said that two specialists from Shifa International Hospital had participated in the examination of Imran Khan’s eyes. The hospital also stated that its own relevant specialists conducted the other medical assessments and that a medical board considered the findings before finalizing a medical fitness report.
However, PIMS has refused to disclose the confidential contents of the report, citing patient confidentiality and the Supreme Court’s directions. This has left the two sides presenting different interpretations of whether the examination adequately fulfilled the court’s instructions.
Shafi Jan also indicated that the PTI’s political strategy could now shift more strongly toward street protests. He said that even members within the party who had previously supported negotiations had apparently abandoned that position and were now inclined toward taking to the streets.
According to the provincial information minister, the events surrounding Imran Khan’s transfer were not the result of any communication or understanding between the government and the PTI. He accused the government of effectively ignoring the Supreme Court’s order.
He described the government’s actions as an attack not only on the judicial decision but also on Imran Khan’s health. Shafi Jan said the PTI would now pursue contempt of court proceedings against those responsible for failing to comply with the Supreme Court’s directions.
The PTI has already filed a contempt petition through lawyers Salman Akram Raja and Uzair Bhandari, seeking action over what it describes as a violation of the Supreme Court’s August 18 order. The party has also asked the court to ensure that Imran Khan is transferred to Shifa International Hospital and undergoes the medical examination ordered by the court.
The petition further seeks show-cause notices and personal appearances by those accused of contempt. PTI has also requested that a court officer or local commission be appointed to monitor implementation of the court’s directions.
The latest controversy therefore has two interconnected dimensions: the legal question of whether the Supreme Court’s order was properly implemented and the medical question of whether Imran Khan received the examination and treatment considered necessary by his party.
For the moment, Shafi Jan’s allegations represent the PTI’s position and have not independently established that the government deliberately interfered with Imran Khan’s health care. PIMS, meanwhile, maintains that a medical board completed the assessment after considering the findings of its specialists and the Shifa doctors who participated in the eye examination.
The Supreme Court will ultimately determine whether the government’s actions complied with its order and whether any further medical examination or contempt proceedings are warranted.
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