Pakistan Supreme Court orders medical transfer for jailed former PM Imran Khan

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered that former Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently incarcerated, be transferred to a hospital for medical examinations. Justice Shahid Waheed ruled that the 73-year-old former leader must be moved to the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within 48 hours, following a petition from his legal team regarding his deteriorating health condition.

Khan has been in prison since 2023 following corruption charges. At the end of last year, he and his wife were sentenced to 17 years in prison, a verdict they both vehemently reject. Khan, a former international cricket star, served as Prime Minister from 2018 until his removal in 2022 via a parliamentary no-confidence vote sparked by tensions with the nation's military leadership. Since his initial detention in May 2023, his supporters have staged significant protests, while Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), continue to maintain that all legal proceedings against him are politically motivated.

The court-ordered transfer is intended to address his health concerns, though no further details on the duration of his hospital stay or subsequent legal proceedings were immediately provided by the authorities.