SC Takes Up PTI Contempt Plea Over Imran Khan Hospital Transfer
The Supreme Court registrar's office has taken up a contempt petition concerning former prime minister Imran Khan's hospital transfer after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf addressed objections that had initially prevented the application from moving forward. The development on Tuesday adds a new legal stage to the dispute over implementation of the apex court's August 18 directions regarding the jailed PTI founder's medical treatment.
The petition was filed by Imran Khan's sister, Uzma Khan, and alleges non-compliance with the Supreme Court's order directing authorities to transfer him to Shifa International Hospital for medical examination. The registrar's office initially returned the application because it did not contain a list setting out the allegations against the respondents accused of contempt, according to the report.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan told reporters outside the Supreme Court that party representatives had met the registrar at the court's facilitation centre and were informed about the objection. The party subsequently addressed the issue and refiled the petition. Gohar also requested that the case be processed quickly so the same bench could consider the matter on Thursday.
The registrar's office later assigned the petition number 8/2026, allowing it to proceed through the court's administrative process. The contempt application names Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and other officials over the alleged failure to implement the August 18 order concerning Imran Khan's medical treatment.
The dispute stems from the Supreme Court's direction that the former prime minister be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for medical examination. Instead, authorities transported Khan to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has maintained that the decision was taken because of security considerations and that doctors from Shifa International Hospital were present during the examination at PIMS.
PTI has rejected the government's explanation and maintains that taking Khan to PIMS rather than the hospital specifically identified in the court order amounted to non-compliance. Gohar said the party considers the former prime minister's health and fundamental rights a priority and also called for implementation of the court's directions regarding meetings between Khan and his family members.
The federal government has separately challenged the Supreme Court's hospital-transfer directive through a review petition. That filing was also returned with objections, while the Islamabad chief commissioner later sought an early hearing of the government's review request. The competing legal moves have placed both the original medical-treatment order and the question of its implementation before the court.
Attention will now turn to whether the Supreme Court fixes the contempt petition for an early hearing and how it addresses PTI's allegation that its earlier order was not followed. Any ruling could determine the immediate arrangements for Imran Khan's medical care and clarify the obligations of government and prison authorities while the review proceedings remain pending.