What are 4 directives SC ordered in Imran Khan case
What's the story
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Rawalpindi's Adiala prison to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital within two days. The decision comes after months of requests from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and his family over concerns about his health. The court also directed a medical board, including Khan's sister Dr. Uzma Khan and personal physician Dr. Faisal Sultan, to oversee his treatment.
Family access
Family allowed to meet Khan
Additionally, the court ordered that Khan's family be allowed to visit him at the hospital. He should also be allowed to talk to his sons living abroad.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 16, and Khan is expected to remain hospitalized until then.
This will be the longest time he has spent outside prison since his incarceration in August 2023 on corruption charges, which he and many others claim are politically motivated.
Health report
Court acted on jail report
The court's order comes after a report submitted by Adiala jail's superintendent.
The report highlighted a cardiac board's review of Khan on August 10, which noted fluctuating blood pressure and anxiety due to restricted family contact.
During Tuesday's hearing, the court questioned Pakistan's advocate general about discrepancies in the report.
The court noted that Khan's "pulse and heart condition were not normal" and his vital organs "had started being affected."
Transfer welcome
PTI welcomes court's decision
Senior PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari welcomed the court's decision, reiterating that Khan needed independent and specialized treatment outside Adiala jail.
He said, "Medical care provided within the prison system is no substitute for a thorough evaluation by independent specialists of his choosing."
Government officials have maintained that any transfer would require judicial approval rather than executive discretion.
However, courts have twice declined similar transfer requests since February, including an Islamabad High Court ruling that ordered a medical board's assessment instead.
Political backdrop
Khan in jail since August 2023
Khan was removed as PM in April 2022 following a parliamentary vote of no-confidence, and his PTI party, which won power in 2018, was stripped of its election symbol in 2024.
While he has been acquitted in several cases, including those relating to official secrets and his marriage to Bushra Bibi, Khan is serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case.
They were also sentenced in December 2025 in a separate case involving state gifts.
Both convictions are under appeal.