ISLAMABAD – Another twist in Imran Khan’s medical treatment saga. After the Supreme Court ordered arrangements linked to his treatment at Shifa International Hospital, the government has decided to return to the top court, seeking a review and pushing for his medical examination at a government hospital.
The federal government has decided to approach the Supreme Court for a review of its order concerning the medical treatment of PTI founder Imran Khan, seeking a modification that would allow his medical examination and treatment to be carried out at a government hospital.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the government had reviewed the court’s directions regarding Khan’s possible transfer to a hospital and held consultations with the relevant authorities, including the jail administration and Islamabad administration.
Tarar said authorities proposed filing a review petition seeking an appropriate modification of the order so that Khan can be examined at a government-run hospital. He said medical experts from any institution could also be included in the process in line with the Supreme Court’s directions.
Tarar argued that allowing one prisoner to be treated at a private hospital could create broader legal and administrative questions because thousands of prisoners are held in jails across the country. He said the law provides for a medical board to determine whether a prisoner should be treated inside jail or transferred to a hospital.
If the board recommends treatment outside the jail, the prisoner would ordinarily be shifted to a government hospital, the minister said.
The law minister maintained that a prisoner should not be shifted to a private hospital unless there is evidence showing that government hospitals are unable to provide the required treatment. He said the existing court order could create several complications, including whether similar arrangements would have to be extended to prisoners held in other jails.
Tarar said the government’s legal team had examined the matter and decided to approach the Supreme Court to remove the ambiguities and seek a suitable modification of the order.
The move puts the Imran Khan medical treatment dispute back before the Supreme Court, with the government seeking clarity over where and under what arrangements the PTI founder should receive medical care.
Imran Khan could get Medical Check-Up from Foreign Doctors at Shifa?
