ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Friday said the decision to move PTI founder Imran Khan from Adiala jail to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), instead of the private Shifa International Hospital, was made by security agencies and was not political in nature.
On Tuesday, the SC had directed the government to move Imran to Shifa International Hospital, a private facility. All eyes were on the hospital with a heavy police presence stationed on Thursday night. However, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar revealed on Friday morning that Imran was instead taken to the government-run Pims.
Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, Chaudhry outlined the rationale behind the decision, noting that all security arrangements had been made at Shifa International Hospital.
“The administration, IG police and law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area, the hospital was made safe and Imran Khan departed Adiala jail,” Chaudhry said. “But no security clearance could be granted.”
Asked when the plan had changed, he replied that the decision was taken after arrangements had been made at Shifa and while the PTI founder was being transferred.
“When he was en route, our security institutions assessed the situation, and the police and law enforcement agencies decided that they could not control the law and order situation,” Chaudhry elaborated.
Pressed on why it was safe to take Imran to Pims but not to Shifa, the minister replied that the decision lay with the security agencies.
“If they don’t take up their responsibility and ensure that a building is secure, or if they believe they cannot keep a building secure, we have to listen to what they are saying. This is not a political decision,” Chaudhry insisted.
“Whenever a high-profile person [is being moved], there are alternative arrangements in place. All of our police and admin contingents were at Shifa, where the medical team was present to examine him.”
Chaudhry was then asked why Imran’s personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan was left waiting at Shifa International for several hours, while Dr Uzma Khan — Imran’s sister — was with him at Pims. The minister replied that he was unaware Dr Sultan was at Shifa, adding that he “found out later”.
“If you look at the SC decision as a whole, all of the points except for changing the hospital at the last minute were all followed in letter and spirit,” Chaudhry emphasised.
He maintained, “If everyone was here (at Pims) and if I was not aware of why he did not go, then the Supreme Court order has not been violated, nor have we engaged in politics presently or in the past”.
Govt committed contempt of court
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, speaking on the same show, said the government had committed contempt of court by not shifting Imran to Shifa Hospital.
He said the medical board constituted by the government was against the court’s orders, adding that Dr Uzma Khan, Imran’s sister, was not familiar with the doctors on the board and Dr Faisal Sultan was not part of the medical board.
The PTI information secretary claimed that there were more media workers around Shifa International Hospital than members of the public. “There were just bystanders, no party workers.”
“We did not discuss medical reports in today’s press conference; we only discussed what happened yesterday,” Akram said, adding that the PTI had complied with the court’s order.
He said the government could still improve the situation by shifting Imran to Shifa Hospital before the PTI filed a contempt petition in the SC.
Earlier today, Information Minister Tarar said Imran underwent a medical check-up at Pims before being shifted back to Adiala jail, adding that he was declared “medically fit”.
In a post on X, he said, “In the light of the Supreme Court’s order, the prisoner was taken to the hospital under appropriate security arrangements during the night between August 20 and 21.”
“A team of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, and a physician, conducted a detailed examination of him and declared him medically fit,” he said, adding that Imran’s sister Dr Uzma Khan was also present during the examination.
“In light of the security situation created by PTI workers on the way to and outside Al Shifa Hospital, he was taken to Pims and, according to the medical examination, was found healthy,” Tarar said.
Later, Dr Uzma addressed a press conference in Islamabad alongside Dr Sultan. She said they had received a phone call on Thursday to reach Adiala jail, where Imran is incarcerated.
“So we reached the Adiala jail at around 8-8:30pm,” she added. Uzma said they were then taken to a deputy superintendent of police’s room, whom she identified as Sibtain.
“Later, Sibtain sahib asked Dr Sultan to go outside the room with him and me to stay in the room. Then, after around 10 to 15 minutes, a female assistant sub-inspector took me to a car.”
She added that all this while, police did not answer any of her queries, including those about Dr Sultan. Uzma said she was then taken to Pims.
