Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Friday that PTI founder Imran Khan underwent a medical check-up at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) before being shifted back to Adiala jail, adding that he had been declared “medically fit.”
Tarar’s initial statement did not specify which hospital Imran had been taken to. The Supreme Court’s order earlier this week had directed the government to take Imran to Shifa International Hospital, a private facility, and media reports had suggested he was taken there amid tight security. Tarar later clarified, however, that Imran was actually taken to PIMS, a government-run facility where he has previously undergone treatment for an eye ailment.
In a post on X, Tarar said: “In the light of the Supreme Court’s order, the prisoner was taken to the hospital under appropriate security arrangements during the night between August 20 and 21.” He added that a team of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, and a physician, conducted a detailed examination and declared Imran medically fit, with his sister Uzma Khan present throughout. “After the completion of this entire process, he was shifted back to Adiala jail on the morning of August 21 at approximately 5am,” he said.
In a follow-up post, Tarar said the medical examination was conducted at PIMS, with doctors from Shifa Hospital also present. “In light of the security situation created by PTI workers on the way to and outside Al Shifa Hospital, he was taken to Pims and according to the medical examination, was found healthy,” he said, adding that Imran had received medical treatment in the past and would continue to do so going forward.
Shifa International Hospital is located in Islamabad’s Sector H-8, an area that also houses several educational institutions and government offices. Visuals from outside the hospital on Thursday night showed both Pitras Bukhari Road and Service Road South cordoned off, with a sizeable contingent of law enforcement personnel present. The last time such extraordinary security measures were seen in the vicinity was during the Panamagate proceedings against former PM Nawaz Sharif, held at the nearby Federal Judicial Academy.
Imran, imprisoned since August 5, 2023, over concealment of Toshakhana gift details, is currently serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case. His health has deteriorated over the course of his imprisonment, prompting repeated concern from party members.
Heightened Security
Security around Shifa International Hospital was tight ahead of Imran’s visit Thursday night, with pickets set up on roads leading to the facility and around 800 personnel deployed in and around the premises following a security audit of the building. Islamabad Police Chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi visited the hospital twice to oversee preparations.
According to a security order issued by Islamabad Police and reviewed by Dawn, the 800 personnel drawn from various law enforcement branches were tasked with four objectives: protecting the life, property, and dignity of citizens; ensuring security against terrorist acts; maintaining public order; and ensuring smooth traffic flow.
Separately, PTI had urged its supporters to keep their distance during the hospital visit. In a post on X, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram wrote that Imran Khan would, God willing, be transferred to the hospital that day.
