Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan was taken back to prison early Friday after doctors examined him at a hospital in Islamabad and declared him medically fit.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Khan was examined by a team of qualified doctors, including an eye specialist, a cardiologist and a physician, reports BBC.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Khan be taken to hospital within 48 hours for medical tests after his lawyers raised concerns over his health.
The order marked one of the biggest legal reliefs Khan has received since he was jailed in 2023 on corruption charges, which he has dismissed as politically motivated.
The court also directed authorities to allow Khan to meet his family, whom he had reportedly been unable to see for months. His sister Azma Khan visited him in prison on Tuesday night and remained present during his medical examination, Tarar said.
The area around Shifa International Hospital was placed under heavy security, with police barriers, personnel and vehicles deployed around the facility. The BBC reported that nearby roads were cleared of vehicles as police and armoured vehicles patrolled the area.
The Supreme Court also instructed Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party not to hold press conferences outside the hospital, warning against politicising his medical stay.
Khan’s lawyers have said he suffers from several health issues, including poor eyesight, and has not received adequate specialist treatment in prison.
In February, one of his lawyers claimed Khan had only 15 per cent vision remaining in his right eye due to delays in receiving treatment. The government rejected the allegation.
In its Tuesday order, the Supreme Court said it had a constitutional and legal responsibility to protect a prisoner’s “life, health, dignity and security”. It also directed that an eye specialist be included in Khan’s treatment plan.
The court and PTI leaders urged Khan’s supporters not to gather outside the hospital, warning that such gatherings would violate the court order.
Khan, 73, a former captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team, served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
He was jailed in August 2023 and has since faced more than 100 cases, including allegations related to state secrets and the sale of state gifts. Khan has denied all wrongdoing and said the cases are politically motivated.
Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were both sentenced to 17 years in prison late last year.
His imprisonment triggered widespread protests by his supporters, followed by a government crackdown.
Despite being behind bars, Khan remains one of Pakistan’s most influential political figures and continues to enjoy strong support among his supporters.
