Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan who led the side to the World Cup trophy in 1992 has been moved from Adiala Jail to a hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination ordered by the country’s Supreme Court amid ongoing concerns about his health. The 73-year-old former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder was transferred under tight security in the early hours of Friday, August 21. His party confirmed the shift from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where he has been held since August 2023 to Shifa International Hospital following a court directive issued earlier in the week.
A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed had ordered the government on August 18 to move Khan to the private facility within 48 hours for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board. The order came after PTI petitions highlighted his deteriorating condition, including fluctuating blood pressure, palpitations, headaches, restlessness, anxiety, and residual issues from a right-eye condition (central retinal vein occlusion) first reported earlier this year.
Prison reports had noted some improvement in his vision after treatment at the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), but the court prioritised further specialist assessment, including involvement of his personal physician. Family meetings and contact with his sons (who live abroad) were also directed.
14 Former International Captains come out in support for Imran Khan
The cricket world has come for his support. Earlier this year, a group of 14 former international captains, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Greg Chappell, publicly urged proper medical care and dignity for the former all-rounder who remains one of Pakistan’s most iconic sporting figures. Further updates on his condition and any longer-term arrangements will depend on medical recommendations and ongoing court proceedings with a next hearing scheduled for mid-September.
Khan’s party and lawyers have raised health concerns repeatedly since early 2026, at one stage claiming significant vision loss in his right eye. Supporters gathered near the hospital as security was heavily reinforced in Islamabad, with hundreds of personnel deployed and roads cordoned off. The government had sought a review of the order, arguing that private hospital treatment could be discriminatory and that prison or public-facility care was adequate under existing rules, but the registrar’s office returned the petition over incomplete paperwork.
On Friday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that a team of doctors (including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician) examined Khan and declared him medically fit. He was returned to Adiala Jail around 5 a.m. His sister Uzma Khan was present during the process. Khan has been serving multiple prison sentences stemming from corruption cases he and PTI reject as politically motivated, following his removal from office in 2022.
