Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has filed a contempt petition against the Shehbaz Sharif government over the handling of Khan's recent medical examination. The party alleges that authorities violated a Supreme Court direction by taking the 73-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) instead of the private Shifa International Hospital for medical evaluation.
Khan was taken to PIMS last week for an eye procedure and other diagnostic examinations. According to PTI, doctors recommended a CT Coronary Angiography (CTA) after assessing concerns related to his heart health, but the procedure was not conducted. Hospital officials reportedly said the required facility was unavailable, while PTI alleged that a functional CT scanner was present at the hospital and questioned why the recommended examination was not completed.
PTI's legal adviser Naeem Panjutha said the contempt petition seeks action against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the law minister, information minister and other government officials. PTI Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram also criticised the handling of Khan's medical care and demanded that the former prime minister undergo the recommended cardiac examination at Shifa International Hospital, where the party maintains that the necessary specialist facilities are available.
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Akram alleged that the failure to conduct the CTA was part of a wider pattern of delays in providing Khan with medical care. He referred to a government medical board examination conducted on August 10 following complaints of heart palpitations and severe headaches. According to him, a PIMS cardiologist had recommended the CTA on August 1 because of fluctuating blood pressure, restlessness and potential cardiac risks. PTI has also demanded that Khan's complete medical records and diagnostic reports be provided to his family, personal doctors and legal team.
The dispute has prompted the government to initiate an inquiry. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week formed a committee headed by the Establishment Division secretary to establish the facts and determine responsibility. PTI, however, has continued to question why Khan was taken to a facility where the recommended cardiac test was not performed, despite its assertion that the required facilities were available elsewhere.
Khan has remained in custody since his arrest on August 5, 2023, in a corruption case and is currently lodged in Adiala Jail near Rawalpindi. His relatives and supporters have repeatedly raised concerns about his access to medical treatment, family visits and legal counsel. The latest court petition is expected to bring renewed scrutiny to the arrangements for his medical care while the government inquiry examines the circumstances surrounding the missed diagnostic procedure.
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