IHC rejects plea for PTI founder’s immediate shifting to Shifa Hospital, orders new medical board

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered a new medical board to examine PTI founder Imran Khan, rejecting a petition requesting his immediate hospital transfer.

A division bench comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro took up the petition.

The court directed the Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, to constitute a medical board, which will include Dr Arif and Dr Nadeem Qureshi from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The board will decide whether the former prime minister requires hospital transfer.

The court also rejected requests to include Imran Khan’s personal physicians in the board.

The bench instructed that Imran Khan’s family should be informed of all developments, with Dr Nadeem Qureshi maintaining communication with them.

According to the court’s order, lawyers and family members should be allowed to meet PTI founder in line with the rules for prisoners.

The petition was filed by Sardar Latif Khosa, Advocate, seeking the shifting of the 73-year-old PTI founder from Adiala Jail for treatment of his eye ailment.

The petitioner highlighted that Imran Khan has restricted access to family and friends for the last four to five months and that a report submitted to the Supreme Court indicated his vision is currently at 15 percent.

The plea requested that Khan be transferred to Shifa International Hospital for specialist treatment, with access to his personal doctors and family.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said that Imran Khan was scheduled to receive his next injection on March 24 as part of his ongoing eye treatment.

In a post on X, the minister stated that Imran Khan was shifted to the PIMS under strict security for a second medical procedure related to his eye condition. The minister added that all legal and humanitarian requirements were fulfilled during the transfer.