On Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan leveled accusations against the federal administration, asserting that they breached the Supreme Court’s mandate concerning the relocation of the party’s creator and ex-prime minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital, labeling the event as “deplorable”.
Addressing members of the press, Barrister Gohar maintained that the apex court’s instructions were completely unambiguous regarding the relocation of the ex-premier to that specific healthcare facility.
He mentioned that there was absolutely no anticipation that the PTI pioneer would be moved to an alternate medical institution or that particulars about his relocation would be withheld.
“The directive of the Supreme Court has been breached,” he asserted.
These statements by the PTI leader came after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar verified that Khan was escorted back to Adiala prison earlier that morning following a clinical evaluation at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where medical practitioners from Shifa International Hospital were likewise in attendance.
Utilizing a social media post on X, Tarar stated that the former prime minister was transported to the medical center between the late hours of August 20 and the early morning of August 21 under “suitable safety protocols”.
A panel of credentialed medical experts, encompassing an eye specialist, a heart specialist, and a general physician, executed a comprehensive clinical assessment and pronounced Imran to be in a “medically sound condition”, he further noted.
Per Tarar’s account, Khan’s sibling Uzma Khan stayed in attendance during the entirety of the clinical assessment and care procedure.
The apex court had on August 18 mandated the incarcerated former premier’s relocation to a medical center within a forty-eight-hour window after reviewing his physical well-being. Following this, the administration submitted an appeal for review challenging the verdict.
Nonetheless, the Supreme Court’s Registrar’s Office sent back the review petition on Thursday morning after presenting particular challenges against it.
Khan, aged 73, has been held in confinement since August 2023 after being found guilty in various lawsuits that he alongside his political organization characterize as driven by political agendas.
He has been subjected to numerous judicial trials since his removal from the prime minister’s office in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence.
Concurrently, Barrister Gohar questioned the viability of a democratic system when executing a judicial mandate proves to be problematic.
“Discussions cannot happen under these conditions; this is not the mechanism of a democracy,” he remarked.
Still, he emphasized that PTI would persist in its efforts to seek diplomatic resolutions for political dilemmas, while reiterating that the organization desired these matters to be settled via dialogue.
Imran’s apprehensions
During a media briefing, his sister, Uzma Khan, recounted that “we got a telephonic communication around evening time instructing us to travel to Adiala. Consequently, we reached Adiala around thirty minutes past eight that night. Dr Faisal and myself were escorted indoors, and we proceeded to sit inside DSP Sibtain’s office”.
She narrated that at thirty minutes past midnight, Sibtain entered and uttered, “Dr sahib, please step this way.” Therefore, Dr Faisal exited. Uzma mentioned that she was unaware of where they were escorting him. They informed me: “You remain seated here, we are escorting him away.”
According to Uzma, following a delay of approximately 10 to 15 minutes, law enforcement officials designated a female Assistant Sub-Inspector to travel with her. The officers instructed, “’Please come,’ and sat me in a car — a small car. In front of us was a Land Cruiser. The police were completely silent and not saying anything. When I asked, ‘Where is Dr Faisal?’ they remained quiet.”
“As we drove along, there was a police car in front, our car in which I was sitting was at the back, and the Land Cruiser was in the middle. I asked, ‘Are we going to Shifa?’ but they did not answer.”
“When we arrived somewhere in the dark—I do not know Islamabad very well—it looked like a forest-like area. I asked, ‘What is this place? It is so dark.’”
“They replied: ‘This is PIMS.’ I said, ‘Why have you brought him here? The Supreme Court directed that he should be taken to Shifa International.’ They said: ‘Actually, his follow-up for his eye has to be done here, so he has been brought for a check-up.’”
Subsequently, upon meeting her sibling, Uzma stated that the PTI founder had raised profound apprehensions regarding his medical management while incarcerated at Adiala jail.
Uzma connected with her brother as officials transferred him to Pims. She noted her sibling was experiencing “hypertension caused by anxiety”.
The sister further noted that Khan declared: “They are committing atrocities against me. They are not human”.
I remarked to him: “Do not worry. The entire nation stands with you against whoever has committed atrocities against you, and we will not spare anyone.”
“He communicated to me, ‘Tell everyone… they have tortured me for ten months’.”
