- The Pakistan government has challenged the Supreme Court's order to transfer Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital by filing a review petition.
- The review petition described the Supreme Court's order as 'discriminatory' and beyond the Court's jurisdiction.
- The Supreme Court returned the review petition due to incomplete paper books submitted by the government.
- A viral video falsely claimed to show Khan being transferred to the hospital, but it actually dates back to November 2022.
- In November 2022, Imran Khan was shot in a failed assassination attempt during a rally in Wazirabad, resulting in him spending three days in the hospital.
- The assassination attempt left one person dead and 13 others injured, with Khan claiming he was hit by four bullets in his legs.
- The government argued that the Supreme Court's order could disrupt the criminal justice system and set a precedent for other prisoners seeking similar treatment.
- Information minister Attaullah Tarar urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) not to politicize Khan's health.
Pakistan's government has filed a review petition against a Supreme Court order mandating the transfer of former Prime Minister Imran Khan to a private hospital. The petition was returned on technical grounds, citing incomplete documentation.13
The government argued that the order, which allowed Khan to receive treatment at Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital, was issued without proper hearings from prison authorities. They described the order as potentially discriminatory and warned it could set a precedent for preferential treatment of other prisoners.
"The relief sought by Khan and his family was granted without issuing notices to all respondents," the government stated, raising concerns over natural justice and due process.
The review petition, filed by Islamabad advocate general Naveed Hayat Malik, invoked Article 25 of the Pakistani Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. It emphasized that granting Khan access to a private hospital could disrupt the criminal justice system and lead to a flood of similar claims from other inmates.7
PTI secretary general Salman Akram Raja noted that the state had effectively withdrawn its petition following the court's objections. Meanwhile, former politicians criticized the government's actions, calling for a more humane approach to Khan's health issues.
“Had this Government little bit of shame, it would have acted on the advice of Dr’s report submitted in the Court,” said Brigadier Musaddiq Abbasi (Retd).
Information minister Attaullah Tarar urged the PTI not to politicize the situation, while PML-N Senator Nasir Butt suggested the developments were part of a conspiracy against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.8
“The government's petition argued the order was 'discriminatory' and could set a precedent for other prisoners, while PTI's Salman Akram Raja said the State had effectively 'withdrawn' its petition. A viral video from November 2022 was falsely shared as recent footage of Khan's transfer.”
