The Imran Khan hospital transfer has triggered a fresh political dispute between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), with both sides exchanging strong arguments in the Senate. The controversy centers on the decision to take the PTI founder to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) instead of Shifa International Hospital, despite a Supreme Court directive concerning his medical examination.
PTI Questions Government Decision
Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, PTI Senator Ali Zafar moved a motion seeking to present a resolution emphasizing judicial supremacy. He argued that the government had failed to follow the Supreme Court’s instructions by not taking Imran Khan to Shifa Hospital and by not constituting the medical board as directed.
Ali Zafar maintained that the government had effectively changed the court’s order on its own. He said political differences with Imran Khan should not become a reason to compromise matters related to his health.
The senator also criticized the government’s refusal to support a resolution affirming confidence in judicial supremacy. According to him, respecting court decisions was essential for maintaining the rule of law and institutional balance.
Government Defends Pims Transfer
The government rejected the PTI’s allegations and said the decision was based on security concerns.
Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah told the Senate that it was not the responsibility of politicians to determine whether the Supreme Court’s order had been followed. He argued that the court itself should decide whether the Imran Khan hospital transfer complied with its directions.
Sanaullah accused PTI leaders of politicising the former prime minister’s health. He said the government had acted according to the court’s decision and emphasized that there had been no negligence regarding Imran’s medical care.
According to the government, Imran Khan was initially brought toward Shifa Hospital but was ultimately taken to Pims because of the security situation. Officials have said that the administration was concerned about the situation outside the private hospital.
Sanaullah added that the government would provide evidence regarding the security circumstances before the court.
Supreme Court Order at the Center
The dispute follows an August 18 Supreme Court order directing authorities to transfer Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination.
Instead, the former prime minister was taken to Pims, where his medical examination was conducted. Authorities later returned him to Adiala Jail.
Government officials have argued that doctors from Shifa Hospital were present during the examination at Pims, meaning that the required medical expertise was available despite the change in location.
The PTI, however, maintains that the location specified in the court order should have been respected unless the court itself approved a change.
The disagreement has now moved beyond political statements, with the Imran Khan hospital transfer becoming the subject of legal proceedings.
PTI Files Contempt Petition
The PTI has already approached the Supreme Court with a contempt petition over the alleged violation of its order.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said the decision to change the transfer plan was made at the last moment. Speaking to journalists near Adiala Road in Rawalpindi, he criticized whoever made the decision and argued that the original court-directed plan should still be implemented.
Gohar also claimed that the PTI had not been informed about any security concerns related to Shifa Hospital. He said the party itself had concerns about Imran Khan’s security but had not been told that those concerns would prevent his transfer.
He further said the contempt petition had been assigned a number in the Supreme Court and that the party had requested an early hearing.
Questions Over Medical Care
The PTI has also raised concerns about whether Imran Khan received adequate medical attention at Pims. Gohar said the party believed the Supreme Court’s directions could still be implemented if the relevant authorities were willing to act.
The government, meanwhile, insists that Imran’s health remains a priority and that he received the necessary medical examination.
This disagreement highlights the wider challenge of balancing judicial instructions, prison administration and security considerations. Any decision involving a high-profile prisoner can quickly become politically sensitive, particularly when rival parties disagree over the interpretation of a court order.
The Imran Khan hospital transfer dispute is now likely to be determined through the courts rather than political debate. The government says security circumstances justified the change, while PTI argues that authorities failed to follow the Supreme Court’s specific instructions.
The Supreme Court will ultimately have to assess the evidence presented by both sides and determine whether its August 18 order was properly implemented.
The controversy has added another point of confrontation between the government and PTI. While both sides continue to defend their positions, the central issue remains whether security considerations were sufficient to justify changing the hospital specified by the court and whether Imran Khan received the medical care required under the court’s directions.
