Pakistan’s government will challenge the Supreme Court’s order directing authorities to transfer jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to a private hospital, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Khan be shifted to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital within two days and be allowed access to his personal physician.
Tarar said the government had reviewed the court’s decision and would file a review petition seeking its modification. He maintained that under the law, a convicted prisoner could receive treatment either inside prison or at a public hospital.
Khan, 73, has been imprisoned in Rawalpindi since August 2023 after being convicted in several cases that he says are politically motivated.
The court also directed authorities to facilitate twice-weekly telephone calls between Khan and his two sons, who live in London.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party welcomed the court’s decision and urged the government to implement it without delay.
His sons have repeatedly expressed concerns over his health, while his lawyers have previously claimed that his eyesight had deteriorated during his imprisonment.
Khan remains involved in several legal cases and denies all wrongdoing.
