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Imran Khan back in jail, just hours after he was taken to a hospital
Imran Khan, who is suffering from several health problems, including an eye condition, was moved to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad on Thursday night.
Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has been shifted back to prison after spending a few hours at a hospital in Islamabad, his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said. The 73-year-old former premier was taken to Shifa International Hospital following a Supreme Court order for treatment of several health problems, including an eye condition.
Khan, who was ousted from power in 2022, has remained incarcerated for over three years. The cricketer-turned-politician was supposed to remain in the hospital till September 16, when his next hearing is scheduled.
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PTI earlier hailed Khan's transfer to the hospital, in an X post, saying, “Imran Khan’s arrival at the hospital for treatment is not our destination, but merely a milestone. Our true freedom is the real destination, and an independent judiciary is indispensable for achieving it."
Court allows weekly meetings with family
The order for a health evaluation came following growing concerns over Imran Khan’s medical condition, Dawn reported earlier. The court also directed authorities to ensure his weekly meetings with his family members, highlighting the severe restrictions and isolation imposed on political prisoners in the country.
The former Pakistani prime minister, who has been imprisoned without much visibility, reportedly met his wife, Bushra Bibi, and sister, Noreen Niazi, at Adiala Jail on Tuesday for the first time this year, after a gap of about nine months.
The PTI chief had about a 15-minute-long meeting with his sister, Express Tribune reported, citing jail sources. Meanwhile, his meeting with Bushra Bibi last around 30 to 35 minutes.
Imran Khan's ouster and jail term
Khan was removed from the post of the prime minister after a fall out with the Pakistani military which has considerable influence on the country's politics. Khan and the rest of the PTI leadership were barred from participating in the 2024 general elections.
Khan was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in jail in 2025 in a land corruption case where prosecutors said he and his wife received land as a bribe through the Al-Qadir Trust. In 2024, he was convicted for making public a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan's ambassador in Washington in 2022.
The PTI leader however continues to wield massive support among party members as well as young voters in the country.
Earlier, PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari pacified concerns over possible rise in tensions if Imran Khan was released. "If Imran Khan was released tomorrow, hypothetically, he wouldn't do anything that would effectively damage the country," Bukhari said, describing him as "magnanimous".
