Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday said the government will seek “suitable modifications” from the Supreme Court to an order directing the transfer of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan to a private hospital, claiming it is currently not within “proper” parameters of law.
In a short order, the Supreme Court had earlier directed the government to shift the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital within two days in light of a medical report submitted by Adiala Jail authorities.
Reacting to the order, the law minister said medical experts and professionals—as identified by the court—could still be involved in the process. However, he added, if any prisoner was allowed to seek medical treatment at private hospitals, “thousands” of other prisoners across Pakistan would also seek the same entitlement.
Maintaining that treatment for most health complications was possible within jails, he said government hospitals provided the necessary facilities for prisoners who needed care outside the facilities available in prison. “The Supreme Court is being requested [to make] suitable modifications to bring this order within the proper parameters of the Constitution and law,” he said.
Tarar further said the law calls for a medical board to decide whether a prisoner requires hospitalization or can be treated within jail premises. If the board recommends treatment outside jail, the prisoner is taken to a government hospital, he added. “Until evidence is received that government hospitals are unable to provide the required treatment, such arrangements are not made,” he said.
The statement follows reports of the federal government finalizing preparations for Khan’s anticipated transfer, including a security plan. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also maintained in the Senate that the government would implement the Supreme Court’s order, while Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said the PTI should have adopted the legal route to secure relief for Khan much earlier.
The PTI, as well as Khan’s family, had approached the Supreme Court seeking directions for his transfer to Shifa International Hospital, access to his personal physicians, family members and counsel, and the provision of his medical details to his family. In addition to ordering the hospitalization, the court had directed the formation of a medical board at Shifa International to examine and determine the treatment of the prisoner. It had also directed for resumption of his weekly meetings with his family. As a condition for restoring access to Khan, the court secured an undertaking from the PTI and Khan’s sisters, barring them from disclosing his medical condition to the media or politicizing the issue.
Following the announcement of the court order, the former prime minister’s sister, Noreen Niazi, was permitted to meet him at Adiala Jail after a gap of around nine months. After the meeting, she confirmed that she had met her brother but refused to speak any further, citing the assurance given to court.
Medical report
The latest court order came about after the Adiala Jail superintendent submitted a medical report about the 73-year-old Khan’s health. According to the report, the former prime minister is experiencing fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches, restlessness and significant anxiety. A doctor had recommended measures to reduce his mental stress, including frequent meetings with his wife and family, and access to reading material and regular exercise.