Pakistan Supreme Court orders ex-PM Imran Khan be moved to hospital from jail
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered that former Prime Minister Imran Khan be transferred from prison to a hospital for medical treatment. Khan, who has been incarcerated since 2023, will remain in the hospital until mid-September.
Why it matters
The health and legal status of Imran Khan remain central issues in Pakistan's volatile political landscape, impacting his party's support and national stability.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) that former Prime Minister Imran Khan be moved to hospital from jail, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party said, meeting a longstanding demand of his party and family, who had raised concerns about his health.
Cricketer-turned-politician Mr. Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in 2022.
His sons repeatedly expressed concern regarding his deteriorating health last year, with his lawyers saying he had lost significant vision in his right eye while in prison.
“It’s a very welcome order and we wish it had happened sooner so his eye and general health would not have deteriorated this much,” PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said.
“He should remain in hospital until all doctors are satisfied,” he said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in