Pakistan top court orders ex-PM Imran Khan be moved to hospital from jail

What the report says

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered former prime minister Imran Khan to be transferred from jail to hospital within 48 hours after concerns were raised about his health. The three-judge panel said he should be examined at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, and that the case involved the state’s duty to protect the life, health and dignity of a prisoner.

The BBC reports that Khan’s lawyers have said the 73-year-old has several medical problems, including poor eyesight, and has not been able to see specialist doctors. The court said an eye specialist should be part of his treatment and also allowed him weekly family visits and phone calls with his sons. His legal team and political allies welcomed the order, while the Pakistani government had not commented publicly at the time of publication.

Khan, a former cricket captain who led Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, has been in prison since 2023 on corruption charges and faces more than 100 cases. He says the cases are politically driven. More broadly, his detention has remained a major issue in Pakistani politics, drawing protests from supporters and a strong response from authorities. The court ruling could draw fresh attention to how high-profile prisoners are treated and to Khan’s continuing influence despite being behind bars.