Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has been moved back to prison just hours after he was transferred to a hospital in Islamabad, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said.
The 73-year-old former premier was taken to Shifa International Hospital on Thursday night following a Supreme Court order concerning his medical condition. Khan has reportedly been suffering from several health problems, including an eye condition.
His return to prison came despite expectations that he would remain at the hospital for medical treatment until his next hearing, scheduled for September 16.
Supreme Court ordered medical evaluation
The hospital transfer followed growing concerns over Khan’s health while he remains incarcerated.
The Supreme Court also directed authorities to facilitate weekly meetings between Khan and his family members, amid concerns about his prolonged isolation.
Khan had reportedly met his wife, Bushra Bibi, and sister, Noreen Niazi, at Adiala Jail earlier this week. It was reportedly the first time he had met them this year after a gap of around nine months.
According to jail sources cited by Pakistani media, Khan’s meeting with his sister lasted around 15 minutes, while his meeting with Bushra Bibi lasted approximately 30 to 35 minutes.
PTI reacts to Khan’s hospital transfer
PTI had earlier welcomed the former prime minister’s transfer to hospital, but stressed that medical treatment was only one part of its broader political struggle.
The party has continued to demand greater political freedom and what it describes as an independent judicial process.
Khan was ousted as Pakistan’s prime minister in 2022 following a vote of no confidence. Since then, his political conflict with Pakistan’s powerful military establishment has intensified, while PTI leaders and supporters have faced significant legal and political challenges.
Why is Imran Khan in prison?
Khan has remained behind bars for more than three years and has faced multiple convictions.
In 2025, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, in which prosecutors alleged that Khan and his wife benefited from land transferred to the trust.
He was also convicted in a separate case involving the disclosure of a classified diplomatic cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington in 2022.
Despite his imprisonment and PTI’s exclusion from the 2024 electoral contest, Khan remains a major political force in Pakistan, particularly among the party’s supporters and younger voters.
His brief transfer to hospital and subsequent return to prison are likely to intensify scrutiny of his health and the conditions surrounding his continued incarceration.
