Imran's hospital transfer: PTI resubmits contempt plea after SC raises objections

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Tuesday resubmitted a contempt of court petition by PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister to the Supreme Court (SC) against the alleged violation of its August 18 order for the ex-premier’s transfer to a private hospital.

The development came shortly after the SC had returned the plea after raising certain objections.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the SC registrar had informed him that the petition was being returned, with one of the objections being that the list of charges levelled against the respondents had not been dispatched. He had also said that the PTI was going to resubmit the petition after removing the objections raised.

Last week, Imran’s sister Uzma Khan had filed a petition before the SC against authorities for violating the court’s Aug 18 order. In its order, the court had ordered the government to shift Imran to Shifa International Hospital, a private facility, within two days for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board.

However, the government instead took the PTI founder to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), a government hospital, for a check-up and then subsequently transported back to prison. At the time, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had blamed “the security situation created by PTI workers on the way to and outside” the hospital for the diversion.

In her petition, Uzma — who was present for the check-up — had named Islamabad Chief Commissioner (retired) Lieutenant Sohail Ashraf, Interior Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar, Punjab Inspector General Prisons Mian Salik Jalal, Adiala Jail Superintendent Sajid Baig, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar as respondents.

She had alleged that the respondents had committed wilful, deliberate and contumacious disobedience and violation of the order. She had also requested the apex court to depute an officer or appoint a local commission to ensure that Imran was immediately shifted to the private hospital in accordance with its earlier directions.

At the same time, the Islamabad chief commissioner had also approached the SC, seeking an early hearing of his review petition, in which the legality of the Aug 18 order was questioned.

On Monday, Gohar had met the SC registrar and was assured that a bench would be constituted soon to proceed with the contempt of court petition.

Responding to a question, he had also brushed aside the impression of any deal with the government, saying that the PTI founder did not make deals, otherwise he would not have spent three years in prison.