PTI slams govt for 'flouting' SC orders, taking Imran to Pims instead of Shifa International Hospital

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Friday slammed the government for “flouting” the orders issued by the Supreme Court for moving incarcerated party founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital.

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 that Imran was instead taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

It is worth mentioning that the SC had ordered that Imran’s medical reports or information concerning his health should not be used for political purposes.

On Friday, Imran’s sister Uzma Khan, who was present for his medical examination, addressed a press conference in Islamabad alongside his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan. She said they had received a phone call on Friday 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.

“I asked them why you have brought me here; the SC has instructed for (Imran’s) treatment at Shifa International Hospital. At that, they told me we were there for a follow-up regarding Imran’s eye.”

Imran has been taken to Pims for treatment multiple times after his eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January.

Recounting her visit to Pims on Friday night, Uzma said, “There was darkness all around.”

She said she was taken to an office as a man used the torch from his mobile phone to light the way. She said she assumed the office belonged to the head of a department at Pims.

“We sat there for a while, and then they took me upstairs. When I went upstairs, Imran was sitting there. He too was a little surprised. He then stood up, he was in shock. He told the doctors who were with him that she is my sister and we were meeting after 10 months,” she recalled.

Uzma said she told him he was there for a checkup and would later be taken to Shifa International Hospital, adding that she also enquired about Dr Sultan at Pims but received no response.

She said they were then taken back to an office, where an examination of Imran’s eye was conducted. “There were two to three doctors there, but I was not familiar with any of them. They introduced me to Dr Arif, but I did not know any of the others,” she said.

She said they were then taken to an office where an examination of Imran’s eye was conducted.

“They asked, ‘Khan sahib, which eye drops do you use?’

“I said if the drops they had prescribed were not mentioned in their notes. None of them knew,” she added.

One of the doctors said Imran needed to immediately undergo a test as his blood vessel had to be checked, she recalled, adding that she told the doctors they would be going to Shifa International Hospital for an examination and checkup.

Uzma said they were again shifted to another place after that, where the doctors said Imran had to be administered an injection.

More to follow