The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party filed a contempt petition against the government on Saturday after authorities transferred jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan to a state-run hospital instead of a private facility, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera. The legal action follows a controversial move where officials bypassed a top court directive requiring Khan to be shifted to a designated private medical center for health examinations. Naeem Panjutha, a legal adviser for the opposition party, stated that the petition seeks formal legal action against the prime minister, law minister, and information minister.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court had issued an order on Tuesday directing authorities to move Khan from Adiala Jail to Islamabad`s Shifa International Hospital within two days. Instead, security personnel transported the seventy-three-year-old politician overnight on Friday to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for a brief medical checkup before returning him to prison. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar defended the venue change, citing security concerns arising from party supporter gatherings along the planned route.
PTI leaders strongly condemned the transfer, arguing that failing to utilize the court-ordered private hospital and denying access to Khan`s personal physician constituted a direct violation of judicial mandates. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi denounced the government`s actions during a press briefing, claiming the administration deliberately defied the judiciary. Family members and party representatives asserted that the brief hospital visit and subsequent return to solitary confinement highlight ongoing mistreatment.
The government previously maintained through medical evaluations that Khan was declared physically fit and did not require prolonged hospitalization or immediate specialized care. However, the opposition maintains that the state`s failure to comply with the high court`s timeline and facility selection threatens constitutional governance. Public safety concerns and the potential for renewed street protests have heightened political tensions across the country.
What remains unclear is how the Supreme Court will adjudicate the contempt petition when it convenes for formal hearings next week. Legal experts note that the unfolding confrontation between the judiciary and the executive branch could significantly reshape the political landscape. As deliberations continue, domestic and international observers are monitoring the situation closely.
