Islamabad: Dr Uzma Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has said that the former prime minister has expressed serious concerns about his health but that his concerns are not being properly addressed.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Uzma Khan said she was taken from Adiala Jail to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on the previous night. When she reached the room, she said, Imran Khan was already there.
According to Uzma Khan, the family had expected Imran Khan to be transferred from PIMS to Shifa International Hospital for a more comprehensive examination. However, she said that instead, he was returned to Adiala Jail in the morning.
She claimed that Imran Khan has repeatedly expressed serious concerns about his health. According to her, his prolonged solitary confinement has caused anxiety, while he continues to experience problems with his blood pressure.
Uzma Khan further alleged that Imran Khan’s concerns are not being listened to and that people are not being allowed to approach him freely.
Doctor Says He Waited at Shifa Hospital
Imran Khan’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, also spoke at the press conference and described his experience during the night.
Dr Sultan said that he travelled from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital after being informed about the planned medical examination. According to him, he was kept waiting at the hospital for approximately three hours.
He said that at around 4:30am, he was informed that Imran Khan would not be brought to Shifa International Hospital. By that time, according to Dr Sultan, Imran Khan had already been examined at PIMS and returned to Adiala Jail.
His comments have added to PTI’s criticism of the government’s decision to change the location of the medical examination.
PTI Calls for Court Intervention
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also criticized the government’s handling of the matter.
He argued that Imran Khan is a former prime minister and questioned what the treatment of an ordinary Pakistani citizen would be if a former head of government was handled in this manner.
Afridi described the government’s actions as contempt of the court’s order and called on the judiciary to take notice of the situation.
The controversy follows a Supreme Court order directing that Imran Khan be transferred to Shifa International Hospital for a medical check-up and comprehensive medical examination.
However, the government subsequently transferred him to PIMS, where doctors conducted his examination before he was taken back to Adiala Jail.
Government’s Explanation
The government has offered a different explanation for the decision.
Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar said in a statement on social media that Imran Khan was taken to hospital during the night of August 20 and 21 under security arrangements.
According to Tarar, Imran Khan was examined by qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician.
He said that security concerns arose because of the situation allegedly created by PTI workers on the route to and outside Shifa International Hospital. In view of those security concerns, the authorities decided to take Imran Khan to PIMS instead.
Tarar further stated that doctors from Shifa International Hospital were also present at PIMS, indicating that specialists from the hospital named in the Supreme Court’s order participated in the examination.
PIMS subsequently confirmed that two specialists from Shifa International Hospital participated specifically in Imran Khan’s eye examination. The hospital also said that its own relevant specialists took part in the remaining medical assessments.
According to PIMS, the medical board considered the findings from the eye examination together with other medical investigations before finalizing Imran Khan’s medical fitness report.
The hospital has, however, declined to disclose the confidential contents of the report, citing patient confidentiality and the Supreme Court’s directions.
Dispute Over Medical Examination
The competing accounts have created a dispute over whether the Supreme Court’s order was adequately implemented.
PTI maintains that the court specifically ordered Imran Khan’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital and that taking him to PIMS instead amounted to non-compliance. The party has already sought contempt proceedings against the government.
The government, meanwhile, says the change was made because of security concerns and that Shifa specialists nevertheless participated in the medical examination at PIMS.
The matter now involves both a medical and legal dispute. PTI and Imran Khan’s family are demanding greater access to medical care and questioning the circumstances surrounding his examination, while the government maintains that qualified specialists examined him and that the decision to use PIMS was based on security considerations.
The Supreme Court may ultimately determine whether the government’s actions complied with its order and whether further medical examination or other measures are required.
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