ISLAMABAD — Pakistani authorities returned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to Adiala jail by 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 21, after a brief stay at the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, directly defying a Supreme Court order mandating his transfer to the privately run Shifa International Hospital by midnight Thursday.
Uzma Khanum, Khan's sister, said she saw her brother past midnight Friday in a borrowed office at PIMS. Khan, 73, told doctors, "This is my sister, I'm meeting her after 10 months," according to Khanum.
The Supreme Court issued the transfer order Tuesday, Aug. 19. Khan's lawyer told Al Jazeera that under the court's directive, Khan was to remain at Shifa under medical care until his case was next heard Sept. 16.
Khanum and Khan's personal physician, Faisal Sultan, held a news conference Friday afternoon, calling the night a "failure" by the government to comply with the court's explicit instructions.
Khan has been jailed since August 2023 following convictions. His party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, maintains the charges are politically motivated. All but one conviction has since been suspended or overturned on appeal.
Concerns over Khan's right-eye condition, which has required months of specialist treatment, were central to the PTI's push for his release. A medical board report on his condition prompted the Supreme Court to order his transfer for specialized care.
Zulfikar Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and close aide to Khan, said the party would challenge the government's conduct. "This is a complete violation of the Supreme Court's orders," Bukhari said.
Sohail Afridi, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which is governed by the PTI, said, "This is contempt of the judges. This is contempt of the Supreme Court."
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed Khan's return to Adiala jail after a medical examination at PIMS.
A journalist who waited outside Shifa International Hospital on condition of anonymity described security measures designed to suggest Khan would arrive: barricades were erected, senior police officers drove past with sirens, and armored vehicles arrived. Around 400 to 500 Khan supporters gathered by nightfall outside Shifa, some traveling from distant towns in Punjab with their families. Police at the first checkpoint only allowed visitors with a hospital card to pass.
For hours, the police inspector-general's spokesperson provided no definitive information about Khan's arrival, repeatedly telling the journalist, "We can't confirm that for you. We're still waiting for the official word."
Khan remains in Adiala jail ahead of his next court hearing Sept. 16.
