The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday filed a contempt petition over the alleged violation of the Supreme Court's order concerning party founder Imran Khan's hospital transfer. In its petition, the party sought initiation of contempt proceedings against those allegedly responsible, along with show-cause notices and directions for their personal appearance before the court. PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja and Uzair Bhandari filed the petition on behalf of the PTI. The Supreme Court, in its August 18 order, had directed the authorities to transfer the former prime minister to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination.

However, he was instead taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), where doctors from Shifa International Hospital were also present, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. PTI later accused the federal government of violating the Supreme Court's order. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said there was no ambiguity in the court's directions regarding the former premier's transfer to the specified medical facility. In its contempt petition, PTI asked the court to declare the respondents guilty of contempt of court and punish them in accordance with the law.

The petition also sought the immediate transfer of the PTI founder to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination. It further requested the court to appoint a judicial officer or constitute a local commission to oversee and ensure implementation of its order. The party named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar as respondents in the petition.

The information minister said on Friday that the PTI founder was taken to the hospital between the night of August 20 and 21 under "appropriate security arrangements". "Imran was taken back to Adiala jail at around 5am on August 21 after the medical examination process was completed," he added. According to Tarar, Imran was taken to Pims due to the security situation "created by PTI workers" on the route to and outside Shifa International Hospital.

The Pims administration said earlier today that two specialists from Shifa participated in the former premier's eye examination, while relevant Pims specialists conducted his other medical examinations. Pims said it would not disclose the confidential contents of the medical report, citing patient confidentiality and the Supreme Court’s directives. Speaking to the media in Islamabad after filing the petition, Raja said that the Supreme Court's order was clear regarding Imran’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital. On filing the petition today, he said that the plea could not have been heard immediately had it been filed earlier.

"It is incorrect that if we had filed the petition yesterday, it would have been listed yesterday [for hearing],” Raja added. "Even if it was filed today, the same thing would happen; it does not happen that a bench starts hearing it within an hour." He said petitions filed in the Supreme Court undergo scrutiny before being listed for hearing, adding that cases at the court are generally not fixed for hearing within an hour of filing. According to Raja, an immediate hearing could take place only if the court had a special intention to do so.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)