National ( The cow news digital )
ISLAMABAD — The Government of Pakistan has decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking to modify a recent ruling that directed the transfer of imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to a private hospital in Islamabad for medical assessment.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that after reviewing the judicial order alongside prison authorities and the Islamabad administration, officials concluded that requesting an appropriate modification through a review petition was necessary. The government aims to ensure that the former prime minister undergoes medical evaluation at a public, state-run hospital rather than a private facility.
The legal challenge follows a decision by a three-member apex court bench ordering authorities to move the 73-year-old politician to Shifa International Hospital in the capital within two days. The court issued the directive due to ongoing health concerns raised by Khan’s family and legal team, including reports of severe vision issues, and mandated the formation of a comprehensive medical board to oversee his treatment until the next scheduled hearing on September 16.
Explaining the rationale behind challenging the verdict, Law Minister Tarar highlighted standard legal and administrative frameworks governing incarcerated individuals. He noted that prison rules stipulate that an official medical board must first determine whether a prisoner’s treatment should occur inside jail premises or at an external healthcare facility. When external hospitalization is deemed necessary, prisoners are standardly referred to public medical centers unless state institutions are proven unable to provide the required care.
Tarar further stated that permitting transfer to a private hospital sets a complex legal precedent, raising questions about administrative complications, security measures, and equal treatment for thousands of other inmates currently serving sentences in prisons across the country. He emphasized that the legal team consulted extensively before deciding to approach the apex court to clear up these ambiguities and seek standard procedural adjustments.
