ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, alleging that the authorities violated the court’s order regarding party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan’s medical examination and hospital transfer.
PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja and lawyer Uzair Bhandari filed the petition on behalf of the party.
The petition asks the Supreme Court to initiate contempt proceedings against those allegedly responsible for failing to comply with its directions. PTI has also requested that show-cause notices be issued and that the individuals allegedly responsible for the breach be directed to appear personally before the court.
The party has named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar as respondents.
Supreme Court had ordered transfer to Shifa
The dispute stems from an August 18 Supreme Court order, under which authorities were directed to transfer Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination.
However, Khan was instead taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) during the night of August 20 and 21.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the decision to change the hospital was taken because of security concerns along the route to and outside Shifa International Hospital. According to the minister, the security situation had been affected by the presence of PTI workers.
Tarar said Khan was taken to PIMS under appropriate security arrangements and was subsequently returned to Adiala Jail at around 5am on August 21, after the medical examination was completed.
Shifa specialists participated in eye examination
The PIMS administration has confirmed that the medical examination nevertheless included specialists from Shifa International Hospital.
According to PIMS, two Shifa specialists participated in Khan’s eye examination, while relevant PIMS specialists carried out his other medical tests.
The hospital said the findings from the eye examination were considered alongside the results of other investigations before a PIMS medical board finalised Khan’s medical fitness report.
PIMS has declined to disclose the details of the report, citing patient confidentiality and the Supreme Court’s directions.
The government has maintained that Khan was medically examined by a qualified team, including specialists in relevant fields, and was declared medically fit.
PIMS Says Two Shifa Specialists Joined Imran Khan’s Eye Examination
PTI demands transfer to Shifa
PTI has rejected the government’s explanation and maintains that the Supreme Court’s direction was specific and left no ambiguity about where Khan was supposed to be examined.
In its contempt petition, the party has asked the court to declare the respondents guilty of contempt and punish them according to law.
PTI has also requested that Khan be immediately transferred to Shifa International Hospital for the medical examination ordered by the Supreme Court.
In addition, the party has asked the court to appoint a judicial officer or establish a local commission to monitor and ensure implementation of its order.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has also argued that the authorities were required to follow the court’s explicit directions concerning Khan’s transfer.
Salman Akram Raja explains timing of petition
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad after filing the petition, Salman Akram Raja reiterated that the Supreme Court’s order regarding Khan’s transfer to Shifa was clear.
Raja also addressed questions about why the contempt petition had not been filed earlier.
He said filing the petition a day earlier would not necessarily have resulted in an immediate hearing. According to him, petitions submitted to the Supreme Court first undergo scrutiny before they are formally listed for hearing.
Raja said it was therefore incorrect to assume that a petition filed on the previous day would automatically have been heard that same day.
He added that Supreme Court cases are generally not scheduled for hearing within an hour of being filed unless the court decides to take up a matter on an urgent basis.
Legal and political dispute continues
The latest petition adds another legal dimension to the ongoing dispute over Imran Khan’s medical treatment while in prison.
The PTI views the change of hospital as a direct breach of the Supreme Court’s instructions, while the government says security concerns made it necessary to conduct the examination at PIMS.
The involvement of Shifa specialists at PIMS has also become a central part of the government’s position, while PTI continues to insist that the court’s specific direction to transfer Khan to Shifa was not followed.
The Supreme Court will now determine whether the allegations raised by PTI warrant contempt proceedings and what further directions, if any, should be issued regarding Khan’s medical examination and treatment.
