Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Imran Khan’s Prison Treatment Sparks Political Storm in Pakistan
Imran Khan is a former prime minister of Pakistan who is in prison.
His lawyers say he has serious problems with the vision in his right eye.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that he be taken to a private hospital for proper medical care.
Instead, officials took him to a government hospital for a short checkup and then returned him to prison.
Khan’s political party says this broke the court’s instructions.
The government says Khan’s supporters caused problems by gathering near the private hospital.
Khan’s sister also said he told her that he was being tortured and kept away from people and reading material.
The disagreement has become a larger political and international controversy.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered Imran Khan’s transfer from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours.
Authorities instead took Khan to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for a brief examination before returning him to prison.
Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, accused the government of violating the court order and sought action against senior officials.
The government blamed PTI supporters’ gathering outside Shifa International Hospital for preventing the ordered transfer.
Khan’s family and lawyers have raised concerns about impaired vision, alleged prison torture, limited human contact and access to his personal doctor.
- Who
- Imran Khan, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, the Pakistani government, his family and lawyers are involved.
- What
- A dispute has erupted over Khan’s health, prison treatment and failure to be transferred to the private hospital specified by the Supreme Court.
- When
- The Supreme Court issued its order on August 18; Khan’s brief examination at the government hospital occurred on August 22, and Zac Goldsmith’s letter was dated August 21.
- Where
- The dispute concerns Adiala Jail, Shifa International Hospital and the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad.
- Why
- The controversy began after concerns about Khan’s deteriorating eyesight and other alleged prison conditions, followed by disagreement over how the Supreme Court’s medical-transfer order should be implemented.
PTI and Khan’s Supporters
Pakistani Government
Compliance with the court order
PTI and Khan’s Supporters
PTI says taking Khan to a government hospital for a brief checkup instead of admitting him to Shifa International Hospital violated the Supreme Court’s order.
Pakistani Government
The government says it fulfilled the order by arranging a medical examination with Khan’s sister and doctors from Shifa International Hospital.
Responsibility for the failed transfer
PTI and Khan’s Supporters
PTI has sought action against senior government officials, including the prime minister, law minister and information minister.
Pakistani Government
The government says PTI members and Khan’s family gathered outside Shifa International Hospital, created security problems and were responsible for the contempt of court.
Khan’s prison conditions
PTI and Khan’s Supporters
Khan’s family and lawyers cite severe vision loss, alleged repeated torture, lack of human contact, no reading material or television for ten months, and limited access to his personal doctor.
Pakistani Government
The government disputes the reported severity of Khan’s medical condition and argues that prisoners should ordinarily receive treatment at government facilities.
- Court order
- The Supreme Court directed that Khan be moved to Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours.
- Medical assessment
- The order called for examinations by an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician, with Khan’s personal doctor involved.
- Actual examination
- Khan was taken to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for a brief examination and returned to prison within hours.
- Vision concern
- His lawyers told the Supreme Court that he had lost 85 percent of the vision in his right eye.
- Family access
- The court also ordered regular family meetings and telephone contact with Khan’s sons.
- Government position
- Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said PTI’s gathering near Shifa International Hospital created problems and led to the alternative arrangement.
- International reaction
- Zac Goldsmith urged UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to intervene with Pakistan over Khan’s treatment.