PTI founder Imran Khan underwent a medical check-up at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Friday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said. Doctors said the examination found him medically fit. Then he was shifted back to Adiala jail. Tarar’s early statement did not identify the hospital where Imran had been taken. Media reports initially said he was taken to Shifa International Hospital, the private hospital that was named in the earlier order of the Supreme Court.
Key Highlights
- Imran Khan examined at PIMS, not Shifa International Hospital as originally ordered
- Doctors from Shifa were also present during the PIMS examination
- Government cites PTI worker security situation as reason for the switch
- Imran declared medically fit and returned to Adiala jail around 5 am on August 21
- Sister Uzma Khan was present during the medical examination
سپریم کورٹ کے فیصلے کی روشنی میں، قیدی کو 20 اور 21 اگست 2026 کی درمیانی شب مناسب حفاظتی انتظامات کے تحت ہسپتال لے جایا گیا۔ ماہرِ امراضِ چشم، ماہرِ امراضِ قلب اور فزیشن سمیت مستند ڈاکٹروں کی ٹیم نے ان کا تفصیلی معائنہ کیا اور انہیں طبی طور پر صحت مند قرار دیا۔ ان کی ہمشیرہ…
— Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) August 21, 2026
Government Explains the Switch to PIMS
Tarar later clarified that Imran was actually taken to PIMS, a government-run facility where he has received treatment for an eye condition in recent months. In a post on X, Tarar said the prisoner was taken to the hospital under appropriate security arrangements overnight between August 20 and 21, in line with the Supreme Court’s order.
He said a team of qualified doctors examined Imran in detail. The team included an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, and a physician. Tarar said the doctors declared Imran medically fit following the examination. Uzma Khan, Imran’s sister, was present throughout. Once the process wrapped up, Imran was moved back to Adiala jail at approximately 5 am on August 21.
کچھ مزید تفصیلات:
طبی معائنہ پمز ہسپتال میں کرایا گیا جس میں الشفا ہسپتال کے ڈاکٹرز بھی موجود تھے۔
پی ٹی ائی کے کارکنوں کی طرف سے جو سیکیورٹی کی صورتحال الشفا ہسپتال کے راستے میں اور باہر پیدا کی گئی اس کے پیش نظر ان کو پمز ہسپتال لے جایا گیا اور طبی معائنے کے مطابق وہ صحت… https://t.co/soNoD1bmu1
— Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) August 21, 2026
In a follow-up post, Tarar added more detail. He said the medical examination actually took place at PIMS, with doctors from Shifa Hospital also present for the process. He explained that the change in location came because of a security situation created by PTI workers near Shifa Hospital. Given that, authorities took Imran to PIMS instead, where the medical exam found him healthy. Tarar said Imran has received medical treatment in the past and will continue receiving it going forward.
Heavy Security Surrounded the Hospital Visit
Shifa International Hospital sits in Islamabad’s Sector H-8, an area that also houses several educational institutions and government offices. Visuals from Thursday night showed both Pitras Bukhari Road and Service Road South cordoned off, with a large number of law enforcement personnel stationed nearby. The last time this part of the city saw security measures on this scale was during the Panamagate proceedings against former PM Nawaz Sharif, held at the nearby Federal Judicial Academy.
A security order has been issued under which around 800 personnel from Islamabad Police and other law enforcement agencies have been deployed around the hospital after a security audit of the building. Islamabad Police Chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi himself visited the site twice to oversee arrangements. The deployment order cited four goals: protecting the life, property and dignity of citizens; preventing terrorist acts; maintaining public order; and allowing free traffic flow.
Separately, PTI asked its supporters to stay away from the hospital during the visit. PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram posted on X that Imran would likely be transferred to the hospital that day. He acknowledged how eager supporters were to catch a glimpse of their leader, but asked them to keep their distance and help ensure Imran’s health and treatment went smoothly.
Background: A Court Order, a Review Petition, and a Rejection
The latest development comes after a Supreme Court ruling Tuesday ordering the government to shift Imran within two days to Shifa International Hospital. The ruling, delivered by a three-member bench led by Justice Shahid Waheed, was announced in a packed courtroom in response to petitions seeking Imran’s hospitalization and family visits. The order said that a prisoner’s imprisonment does not deprive him of his right to humane treatment and necessary medical care. The court described the directions as an interim arrangement, to continue till the next hearing.
Imran’s sisters Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, attended the proceedings. That day in the prison conference room, talking about his health, Noreen met Imran for the first time this year. And she declined to speak to journalists later, putting a finger to her lips and shushing them.
The government on Wednesday filed a petition challenging the court’s order, calling it discriminatory and beyond the jurisdiction of the court. But on Thursday, the Supreme Court registrar’s office sent the petition back, saying the paperwork was not complete.
A Longer History of Health Concerns
The court’s original ruling followed a report submitted a day earlier by Adiala jail’s superintendent. The report said Imran received adequate healthcare, with medical officers checking his vitals three times daily. An annexure to that report, though, painted a more concerning picture. A PIMS doctor who examined Imran on August 1 noted fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches, and restlessness. Imran attributed some of his symptoms to infrequent family visits and limited access to newspapers and television.
A separate medical board examined him again on August 10 after he complained of head heaviness and palpitations, recommending daily walks, a more relaxed routine, and more frequent family contact to help manage his anxiety and blood pressure. The same report noted his eye condition had largely improved following treatment at PIMS.
Imran has been in jail since August 2023 on Toshakhana gifts charges and is serving a 14-year sentence in the Al-Qadir Trust case. His health has become an increasingly contentious issue in public debate, with government and opposition still trading accusations over whether he has received adequate and transparent medical care.
