Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has filed a contempt of court petition in the Supreme Court against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior officials, accusing the government of defying the court’s order to transfer PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment.
What the Petition Says
The petition was filed on Saturday by PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja and advocate Uzair Bhandari on behalf of Khan’s sister, Dr Uzma Khan. It names Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Islamabad Chief Commissioner (retired) Lieutenant Sohail Ashraf, Interior Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar, Punjab Inspector General of Prisons Mian Salik Jalal and Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig as respondents.
The petition asks the Supreme Court to issue show-cause notices to the respondents, summon them to appear in person, declare them guilty of contempt of court, and punish them in accordance with the law. It further requests the immediate transfer of Khan to Shifa International Hospital for a comprehensive medical examination and asks the court to appoint a judicial officer or local commission to ensure the order is implemented going forward.
Where the Dispute Started
The underlying order dates to August 18, when a three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed directed jail authorities to shift Khan to Shifa International Hospital within two days for examination by a medical board, and to arrange family meetings and phone calls with his sons. Instead of Shifa, the government took Khan to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the early hours of Friday, where he was examined before being returned to Adiala Jail by around 5am.
PTI argues that taking Khan to PIMS rather than Shifa, and returning him to jail within hours, amounted to a direct violation of the court’s order. “There was no ambiguity in the court’s directions regarding the former premier’s transfer to the specified medical facility,” PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said.
The Government’s Position
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Khan was taken to PIMS because of the “security situation” created by PTI workers gathered outside and along the route to Shifa International Hospital, and that Khan was returned to Adiala Jail once doctors declared him medically fit. Speaking separately, the government said on Saturday that PTI itself had violated the Supreme Court’s order by issuing public statements and speaking to the media about Khan’s condition following the PIMS check-up, which the court’s order had barred pending the next hearing.
“PML-N believes health issues should not be used for political gain,” Tarar said, adding that the government’s position throughout had been that whatever happened would be in accordance with the law. The federal government has separately asked the Supreme Court for an early hearing of its own review petition against the August 18 order, arguing the direction to use a private hospital was discriminatory toward other prisoners.
What Happens Next
With both sides now accusing each other of contempt, the case adds a new layer to an already contentious standoff between PTI and the federal government over Khan’s medical treatment. The Supreme Court has not yet set a date for hearing PTI’s contempt petition, and the underlying dispute over the government’s review plea against the August 18 order remains pending as well.
