The Pakistani government has challenged a Supreme Court order directing authorities to transfer jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment.
The court had ordered that Khan be moved within two days and that a five-member medical panel, including his personal doctor, be involved in his examination and treatment. It also granted him weekly family visits and twice-weekly phone calls with his sons.
However, the Islamabad administration has filed a review petition, arguing that the Supreme Court did not follow the proper legal procedure before ordering the transfer. The government also says allowing a prisoner to receive treatment at a private hospital could create a precedent for other prisoners to demand similar privileges.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has welcomed the court's decision and called for its immediate implementation. The dispute comes amid continuing concerns over Khan's health, including reports of significant vision problems.
The government says it is not opposed to Khan receiving necessary medical care, but objects specifically to the order requiring treatment at a private hospital. The Supreme Court is expected to consider the matter further on September 16.