Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was examined by doctors at a hospital in Islamabad and deemed "medically fit", allowing him to be returned to prison on Friday after a Supreme Court order. The examination included a team of doctors including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, and physician, who were present along with Khan's sister Azma Khan. This is the first significant relief Khan has received from the courts since his imprisonment in 2023 on corruption charges, which he claims are politically motivated. Khan was ordered to be taken to hospital within 48 hours by the Supreme Court, which also allowed him to see his family for the first time in months.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Here is a summary of the news story:
Imran Khan, Pakistan's former prime minister and founder of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has been transferred to a private hospital for medical examination after concerns were raised about his health. The order was made by Pakistan's Supreme Court, which accepted a demand from Khan's party that had been made for months.
Uzair Bhandari, one of Khan's lawyers, said that the court also ordered a medical board to be formed to oversee Khan's treatment, including his sister Dr Uzma Khan and personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan. The next hearing is set for September 16, and Khan will remain in hospital until then.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 on corruption-related charges that he claims are politically motivated. His party, PTI, says it is trying to keep him out of politics, while the government denies this.
The transfer to a private hospital was seen as a significant relief for Khan, who has not been allowed to see his family in months. 21 former cricket captains from around the world have written an open letter to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging him to allow an independent assessment of Khan's health and provide him with proper medical care.
Khan's party has condemned what it calls the "continued failure" of authorities at a state-run hospital, where Khan was taken for a heart scan but did not undergo the test.
Written for “Imran Khan Medical Treatment Dispute” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1725 · logged 2026-08-31
- Published
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved back to prison early on Friday after being examined by doctors at a hospital in Islamabad, who deemed him "medically fit".
Khan was seen by "a team of qualified doctors" including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist and a physician, Pakistan's information minister Attaullah Tarar said.
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minister → publish → ophthalmologist
The Supreme Court had on Tuesday ordered that the cricketer-turned-politician be taken to the hospital within 48 hours to be examined by physicians, following complaints about his health.
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cricketer → order → health
It was the most significant relief Khan has received from the courts since he was imprisoned in 2023 on corruption charges, which he says were politically motivated.
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he → receive → charges
As well as being transferred to hospital, the court order also specified Khan should be allowed to see his family, which he has not been able to do in months.
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he → transfer → months
On Tuesday night, his sister Azma Khan visited him in prison.
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sister → visit → prison
She was present throughout all stages of the medical examination overnight on Thursday, Tarar said.
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Tarar → say → Thursday
Khan's political party, Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is normally quick to claim court decisions that go against him are politically motivated.
uncertain
that → claim → him
It has not publicly been drawn on speculation that the Supreme Court's decision indicates political manoeuvring behind the scenes.
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decision → draw → scenes
The area around Shifa International Hospital has been sealed off by police with barriers, officers and police vans in place.
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area → seal → place
Outside the hospital the BBC saw cars being moved with a truck to clear the street while police cars and armoured vehicles patrolled.
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cars → see → street
The Supreme Court told Khan's party not to conduct news conferences outside the hospital.
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Court → tell → hospital
This is a warning not to politicise his hospital stay.
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This → politicise → stay
The 73-year-old's lawyers have said he's suffering from various health conditions, including poor eyesight, and has been unable to access specialist medical care.
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he → say → care
In February, Khan's lawyer said his client had 15% vision left in his right eye after prison authorities failed to take action - an allegation the government disputed.
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government → say → allegation
In Tuesday's court order, the panel wrote: "We are mindful of the constitutional and legal obligation... to safeguard the life, health, dignity and security of the prisoner."
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We → write → prisoner
Judges said an eye specialist would be involved in Khan's hospital treatment.
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specialist → say → treatment
The judges and members of PTI issued warnings to supporters not to gather outside the hospital - that would be a breach of the court order.
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that → issue → order
Khan, who previously captained the Pakistan national cricket team, served as the country's prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
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who → captain → 2022
He was imprisoned in August 2023 and has faced charges in more than 100 cases, ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts - all of which he decried as politically motivated.
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he → imprison → which
Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were both sentenced to 17 years late last year.
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wife → sentence → years
His jailing triggered large-scale protests by supporters, which were met with a crackdown by authorities.
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which → trigger → authorities
Despite his jailing, Khan remains a significant presence in Pakistani politics with a large number of supporters.
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Khan → remain → supporters
