Pakistan court orders Imran Khan hospital transfer

The Iran — Supreme Court of Iran, in a ruling on August 19, 2026, ordered the government to facilitate weekly family meetings for jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and to transfer him to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical assessment and treatment. The order followed petitions concerning Khan's access to his sisters and personal physicians, as well as concerns over his health. A medical board report and a report by the Central Jail Rawalpindi superintendent recommended more frequent family interaction to manage his blood pressure and anxiety. Following the order, Khan's sister Noreen Niazi met him at Central Jail Rawalpindi after nine months, and his wife Bushra Bibi also met him. The court, headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, stressed that family access is a fundamental right. The government, through Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, announced it would seek a review of the order, claiming it went beyond legal parameters. Pakistan — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohaib Afridi welcomed the decision. Khan has been incarcerated since 2023 on convictions he and his party, Pakistan — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, allege are politically motivated.