Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered Tuesday that former Prime Minister Imran Khan be transferred from jail to a hospital, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party confirmed, following health concerns raised by his party and family.
Cricketer-turned-politician Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in 2022.
His sons repeatedly expressed concern regarding his deteriorating health last year, with his lawyers saying he had lost significant vision in his right eye while in prison.
"It's a very welcome order and we wish it had happened sooner so his eye and general health would not have deteriorated this much," PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said.
"He should remain in hospital until all doctors are satisfied," he said.
The court has directed Khan be moved to Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours and remain there until Sept. 16, Khan's spokesperson Naeem Haider Panjutha said on X.
Since he lost power in a no-confidence vote, Khan has faced multiple cases, including over state gifts and an unlawful marriage. Some convictions have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending. He denies wrongdoing.
Cricket greats from around the world, including from across the border in India, demanded better treatment for him in February, expressing "deep concern" about his prison conditions.
Back in 2024, a U.N. human rights working group said Khan was arbitrarily imprisoned in violation of international law.
The Geneva-based U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that the "appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Khan immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law."
PTI won power in 2018 and retains a large support base across key provinces. But it was stripped of its election symbol ahead of the 2024 vote, forcing its candidates to run as independents.
