ISLAMABAD: The federal government, after removing the objections raised by the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office, has again filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s order directing the transfer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad.
The Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, on Friday filed a Civil Miscellaneous Application (CMA), seeking review of the apex court’s August 18 order.
On Thursday, the SC Registrar Office had returned the review petition after objecting that the paper books were incomplete. The federal government in the early hours of Friday brought Imran Khan to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, instead of Shifa International Hospital, for a medical check-up. After carrying out eye, blood pressure, and other tests, the authorities took him back to Adiala Jail.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Shahid Waheed and comprising Justice Naeem Akhter Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, had directed the government to shift Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad within the next two days. The order also stated that future medical reports will not be made public and the transfer cannot be politicised.
In a post on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the PTI founder had been taken to PIMS, rather than Shifa International Hospital, for a medical examination, with doctors from Shifa also present.
The PTI slammed the government for “flouting” the orders issued by the Supreme Court for moving incarcerated party founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital. Imran’s sister Uzma Khan, who was present for his medical examination, addressed a press conference in Islamabad along with Imran Khan’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan.
The review petition, filed through Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, Syed Waqar Hussain, contended that the direction to shift the prisoner to a private hospital was “in excess of jurisdiction” and had overlooked the statutory procedure governing the transfer of prisoners to hospitals.
“The Order under Review suffers from errors of law floating on the surface of the record, hence liable to be reviewed,” the petition stated.
The review petition argued that Rule 197 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, which governs the manner and mode of transferring a prisoner to a hospital, had escaped the SC’s attention while issuing directives for shifting the former prime minister from Adiala Jail to the private hospital in Islamabad.
The review petition also said that the Supreme Court had formed a prima facie view of deteriorating health on the basis of a report submitted in connected proceedings, whereas “nothing in the report suggested that respondent’s condition is any worse”.
The petition said that the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the Court should not interfere in matters which require a technical and professional skill set as the Court lacks such expertise. “In the circumstances, the proper course for the Court was to seek advice of the medical expert on the report and thereafter decide if it discloses any worsening of the condition of the respondent.” The petition stressed that Imran was a convicted prisoner and “has to be treated in accordance with law like any other convict.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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