Medical files don't usually spark major political crises, but in Pakistan, nothing is ever simple. When jailed former prime minister Imran Khan was shifted out of Adiala Jail for a medical checkup, it triggered an immediate uproar. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claims authorities deliberately blocked a crucial heart scan.
The core dispute centers on a routine hospital visit that went sideways. Khan was taken to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for an eye procedure and general diagnostics. While there, cardiologists recommended a CT Coronary Angiography (CTA) because of fluctuating blood pressure, restlessness, and potential cardiac risks tied to his age and prolonged isolation.
The test never happened.
Hospital staff claimed the facility was unavailable, sending the 73-year-old back to jail without the scan. PTI leaders immediately cried foul, pointing out that a functional CT scanner capable of running the procedure sits right inside the PIMS radiology department.
Bypassing Court Directives
The anger from the opposition goes deeper than a single missed appointment. On August 18, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim explicitly ordered that Khan be shifted to Shifa International Hospital for a comprehensive medical examination and treatment.
Instead, authorities took him to PIMS.
PTI Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram didn't mince words, asking publically if the detour to a hospital unable or unwilling to complete the scan was prearranged. When top-tier medical facilities like Shifa International were explicitly named by the highest court, choosing a state-run facility that failed to deliver raises valid questions about administrative competence or deliberate obstruction.
The Official Response and Counter-Claims
Government officials reject the narrative of malicious intent. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar maintained on social media that a qualified medical board—including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, and a general physician—examined Khan thoroughly and declared him fit to return to custody. Law ministers have similarly argued that convicts under Pakistani law should ideally receive treatment within public institutions rather than private luxury medical centers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stepped in by forming an inquiry committee led by the Establishment Division secretary to find out why the coordination between cardiology and radiology departments broke down. Yet, critics argue that an internal government probe ignores the baseline issue: why a clear judicial directive pointing toward Shifa International Hospital was sidestepped in the first place.
Transparency and Public Trust
Health transparency for high-profile political prisoners carries immense weight. When information trickles out through leaked reports and angry press releases, public anxiety spikes. PTI continues to demand the immediate release of complete medical records to Khan's family, personal legal team, and trusted doctors.
Without clear, unedited disclosures, every missed test or administrative hiccup turns into fuel for political friction. As political tensions simmer and supporters keep a close eye on legal maneuvers, access to basic diagnostic care remains a baseline human rights concern that refuses to fade into the background.
