PTI on Friday accused the government of committing contempt of court by “flouting” the Supreme Court’s order to shift incarcerated party founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital, announcing it would approach the apex court on Saturday.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had directed the government to move Imran to Shifa International Hospital, a private facility. All eyes had been on the hospital, with heavy police presence stationed there Thursday night. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar revealed Friday, however, that Imran had instead been taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Notably, the Supreme Court had also ordered that Imran’s medical reports or any information concerning his health not be used for political purposes.
On Friday, Imran’s sister Uzma Khan, who was present during his medical examination, addressed a press conference in Islamabad alongside his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan. She said the two had received a phone call Thursday instructing them to reach Adiala jail, where Imran is incarcerated. “So we reached the Adiala jail at around 8-8:30pm,” she said, adding that they were taken to the room of a deputy superintendent of police she identified as Sibtain.
“Later, Sibtain sahib asked Dr Sultan to go outside the room with him and me to stay in the room. Then, after around 10 to 15 minutes, a female assistant sub-inspector took me to a car.” She said police did not respond to any of her queries throughout, including questions about Dr Sultan’s whereabouts, and that she was subsequently taken to PIMS. “I asked them why you have brought me here; the SC has instructed for (Imran’s) treatment at Shifa International Hospital. At that, they told me we were there for a follow-up regarding Imran’s eye.”
Imran has been taken to PIMS for treatment multiple times since his eye condition, right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), came to light in late January.
Recounting her visit to PIMS on Thursday night, Uzma said, “There was darkness all around.” She said she was led to an office while a man lit the way using his mobile phone’s torch, and assumed the office belonged to a department head at the facility. “We sat there for a while, and then they took me upstairs. When I went upstairs, Imran was sitting there. He too was a little surprised. He then stood up, he was in shock. He told the doctors who were with him that she is my sister and we were meeting after 10 months,” she recalled.
Uzma said she told Imran he was there for a checkup and would later be taken to Shifa International Hospital, and that she also asked after Dr Sultan while at PIMS but received no response. She said they were then taken to another office, where an examination of Imran’s eye was conducted. “There were two to three doctors there, but I was not familiar with any of them. They introduced me to Dr Arif, but I did not know any of the others,” she said.
