21 August,2026 10:11 AM IST | Islamabad | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/AFP
Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was transferred back to Adiala Jail early on Friday after undergoing a court-ordered medical evaluation at a private hospital in Islamabad.
Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said a team of doctors examined the 73-year-old former prime minister at Shifa International Hospital and declared him medically fit before he was taken back to prison.
"A team of qualified doctors... declared him medically fit. After the completion of this entire process, he was transferred back to Adiala Jail," Tarar wrote on X.
Khan was taken to the hospital from Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail under tight security arrangements, following a directive issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan earlier in the week.
The top court had directed the federal government to move Khan to a private medical facility within two days for a thorough assessment of his health.
Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been in prison since 2023. He is serving a 14-year sentence linked to the Toshakhana case.
He was taken to the hospital following concerns over fluctuations in his blood pressure and related symptoms that had been noted in recent medical reports from prison.
The medical evaluation included scheduled checkups and preliminary clinical tests as part of the assessment ordered by the court.
Khan's transfer to the hospital was carried out under extensive security arrangements.
According to local media reports cited by Dawn, he was transported through Pitras Bukhari Road and entered the hospital complex through Gate No. 1.
Security agencies established a high-security perimeter around the medical facility ahead of his arrival. Pitras Bukhari Road and Service Road South were sealed to civilian traffic on Thursday night as authorities prepared for the former prime minister's arrival.
More than 800 personnel from the Islamabad Capital Territory Police, city administration and Rangers were deployed around the hospital.
Joint teams comprising police and prison officials coordinated Khan's movement between Adiala Jail and the hospital.
After completing the medical checks and preliminary clinical tests, Khan was moved directly back to Adiala Jail before daybreak on Friday.
The transfer was carried out in accordance with the Supreme Court's directions, with authorities saying the medical team had found no immediate health issue that required him to remain at the hospital.
Khan has remained in custody since his arrest in 2023 and continues to face multiple legal cases in Pakistan. His health and prison conditions have remained subjects of concern among his supporters and the PTI leadership.
(With inputs from AFP and ANI)
