Islamabad, Aug 21: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been shifted to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad following the Supreme Court order.
Hundreds of police have been deployed around Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad following Imran Khan’s shift to the hospital and roads connecting to the hospital have been blocked.
It is confirmed that Imran has reached Shifa International Hospital. The Supreme Court’s order has been followed,” PTI spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari said.
PTI member Arif Alvi also confirmed that Imran Khan had been shifted to the hospital. He said the country was happy to hear the news.
73-year-old Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in prison late last year in corruption and other cases. Khan, who has been in jail since 2023, has alleged that the cases against him are politically motivated.
As news spread that Imran Khan had been taken to the hospital, his supporters gathered near the hospital. Some celebrated by showering red flower petals on passing vehicles.
Younis Qureshi, 69, said, “I have come to support a person who has made many sacrifices for Pakistan.”
Another supporter, Bilal, 52, expressed confidence that former World Cup-winning cricket captain Imran Khan would get proper medical treatment. Our love and support for Imran Khan will continue, he said.
Imran Khan’s lawyer had filed a petition in the Supreme Court saying that his health had deteriorated and he needed a medical examination.
The court, which heard the petition, ordered Khan to be admitted to the hospital within two days.
Earlier this year, Imran Khan was also admitted to the hospital for eye treatment. At that time, his family had informed him that he had lost most of the vision in his right eye.
A three-judge bench ordered Imran Khan to be allowed to meet family members once a week and talk to his sons twice a week over the phone.
A committee of expert doctors will be formed for his treatment. His sister Uzma Khan, who is a doctor, has also been allowed to participate in the treatment process.
Imran Khan was the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022. He lost power in 2022 through a no-confidence motion amid a political crisis. The conflict between his government and the influential military establishment was also a major reason for this crisis. There were widespread protests across Pakistan after Imran Khan was arrested in May 2023.