Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan was shifted back to Adiala Jail early Friday after a medical check-up at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital despite a Supreme Court order for his transfer to Shifa International Hospital. “PIMS was selected as a hospital for treatment of the injured due to an unusual rush and security concerns outside Shifa,” Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar said. Imran was declared medically fit and taken back to jail. Doctors from Shifa were said to be present during the examination.

The PTI has asked whether the Supreme Court's order has been fully implemented or not, which has created a new controversy on the development. The party has demanded transparency in medical examination and medical records of Imran.

In the meantime, Imran’s sister Dr Uzma Khan told the media in Islamabad what had happened that night. She said she and Imran’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, were summoned to Adiala Jail and taken to PIMS. Uzma said Imran told her that doctors had related health complications to the long time he had spent in solitary confinement. She said that the visit to PIMS had been confusing for her as the officials had initially told her that they were there to follow up on Imran’s eye treatment.

Uzma’s account has added another dimension to the debate over Imran’s health, with the government insisting that he was given a detailed examination and all medical care. Given the conflicting accounts, the issue is likely to remain at the heart of Pakistan's political debate.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)