The Supreme Court has ordered the transfer of PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa Hospital.
A three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, heard the case concerning Imran Khan’s health and meetings with his family members. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim were also part of the bench.
The court ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to Shifa Hospital within two days. The PTI founder will remain at the hospital until the next hearing. The court also ordered that he be allowed to meet his family once a week. Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Uzma Khan will also accompany him.
During the proceedings, the court also obtained an assurance from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf that it would not politicise Imran Khan’s medical reports and that no gathering would be held outside the hospital.
Justice Shahid Waheed asked which of Imran Khan’s sisters should be allowed to meet him. The lawyer replied that Uzma Khan should be allowed to meet him because she is a doctor.
Regarding Imran Khan’s transfer to a private hospital, lawyer Uzair Bhandari said that he had previously been taken to PIMS by the government on several occasions and asked who would bear the expenses of a private hospital. Lawyer Uzma Khan said that they would pay the expenses of the private hospital themselves.
Justice Shahid Waheed asked who would guarantee that Imran Khan’s medical reports would not be made public and who would guarantee that the reports would not be used for political purposes. Salman Akram Raja replied that the political party would not use the medical report for political purposes, adding that the medical report was a matter between the doctors and Imran Khan’s family.
Justice Naeem Afghan asked what guarantee there was that a crowd would not gather outside the hospital. He observed that other patients would also be present at the hospital and no one should be disturbed. A PTI leader said that their political principles were different and that they would not politicise health.
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Earlier, the court had sought all of Imran Khan’s medical reports, details of meetings held over the past three years, and details regarding telephone conversations with his children.
Justice Shahid Waheed remarked that once the medical record was brought before the court, it would no longer remain confidential. Justice Naeem Afghan told the parties that there would be no politics over the PTI founder’s health.
Justice Shahid Waheed asked what the problem was with providing Imran Khan’s medical record. He said that the material submitted to the court was only a summary of the medical report and directed that the complete record be submitted. He again remarked that once the record came before the court, it would not remain confidential.
Justice Shahid Waheed also asked about meetings between Imran Khan and his sisters. The Advocate General Islamabad said that if anyone violated the law, the meeting would not take place. Justice Shahid Waheed remarked that if the person was violating the law, would the state also violate the law? He said that meeting one’s sisters was not a favour but a fundamental right.
