The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, to be shifted to Shifa International Hospital until the next hearing. The court also directed that a medical board be constituted for Imran Khan and that he be transferred to the hospital under tight security.

The court said that adequate security arrangements should be made while transferring Imran Khan to the hospital, and that the law-and-order situation outside the hospital must not be affected.

During the hearing of the case regarding meetings with Imran Khan and his medical treatment, Justice Shahid Waheed asked why there was an issue with providing Imran Khan’s complete medical record. He said that the material provided so far was only a summary of the medical report.

Justice Shahid Waheed directed that Imran Khan’s complete medical record be submitted to the court before the next hearing, saying that once the record is submitted to the court, it will no longer remain confidential.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan asked about a reference to angiography in the medical report and whether angiography could be performed in jail. The Islamabad Advocate General replied that angiography could be performed at an outside hospital.

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Justice Shahid Waheed said that Imran Khan’s pulse and heart condition were not normal, while medical reports indicated that his vital organs had started to be affected.

The judge asked about meetings with Imran Khan’s sisters. The Islamabad Advocate General said that if anyone violated the law, they would not be allowed to meet him.

The court responded by asking, “If they are violating the law, will you also violate the law?” It said that meeting his sisters was not a favor but their fundamental right. The court said that it was the state’s responsibility to uphold the law and asked why the Islamabad High Court’s directions were not being implemented.

The Islamabad Advocate General told the court that Imran Khan’s sisters had been allowed 48 meetings with him over the past three years. The Supreme Court sought complete details of the meetings between Imran Khan and his sisters during the past three years. The court also sought the record of phone calls between Imran Khan and his children.

PTI lawyer Uzair Bhandari said that Imran Khan’s sisters should at least be allowed to meet him and that his sisters and doctors should also be permitted to see him.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan remarked that PTI should not politicize the issue of Imran Khan’s health.

Uzair Bhandari said that Imran Khan should undergo a complete medical examination at Shifa International Hospital. Justice Shahid Waheed asked what guarantee there was that they would not speak to the media after leaving the hospital. The lawyer said that he represented Dr. Uzma and, according to her instructions, assured the court that Dr. Uzma and Dr. Asim would not speak to the media after the meeting.

The lawyer for Dr. Uzma Khan requested that Dr. Uzma and Imran Khan’s personal physician, Dr. Asim Yusuf, be allowed to meet him. The court asked whether Dr. Uzma was a PhD doctor. The lawyer replied that she was a medical doctor.

Justice Shahid Waheed said that Dr. Asim Yusuf was a gastroenterologist, while Imran Khan’s medical report did not indicate any stomach-related problem. The court said that no applicant had questioned the qualifications of the doctors who had examined Imran Khan.

The Islamabad Advocate General told the court that an assurance not to speak to the media after meetings had been violated and that the matter was pending before the Islamabad High Court. Salman Akram Raja responded that if the assurance had been violated through media statements, the assurance had been given by him, so what was the fault of the others? Justice Shahid Waheed said that if contempt of court proceedings were initiated against officials, action would also be taken against Salman Akram Raja.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan said that PTI members should decide that there would be no politics regarding the health of the party founder. He said that Imran Khan’s treatment should not be turned into a political matter.

Justice Shahid Waheed said that PTI and Imran Khan’s family would have to submit affidavits stating that no one would speak to the media after meetings with him.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan also sought complete details of Imran Khan’s cases. The court asked how many cases Imran Khan was facing as an under-trial prisoner, in how many cases he had been convicted, and in how many cases his sentences had been suspended.

The Supreme Court also sought from Adiala Jail authorities the record of meetings held with Imran Khan during the past three years and asked why the Islamabad High Court’s order had been violated.

The court ordered that Imran Khan be shifted to Shifa Hospital until the next hearing and directed that a medical board be constituted for him.

The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing until after the summer recess and summoned Adiala Jail officials for the next hearing.