ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan premier Imran Khan’s sister on Saturday filed a contempt of court petition against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers and senior officials, accusing them of violating a Supreme Court order directing authorities to transfer the jailed opposition leader to a private hospital for medical examination and treatment.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has accused the federal government of violating the top court’s order issued on Tuesday, which directed authorities to transfer him to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within 48 hours for a medical examination and treatment. The court also directed that the 73-year-old’s personal physician and sister be involved in the medical process, allowing Khan to remain at the private hospital until Sept. 16, subject to recommendations by a medical board.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Friday that Khan had been taken to the state-led Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a medical examination and treatment on Thursday night. The minister said authorities changed the venue to PIMS because of what he described as a “security situation” created by PTI supporters on the route to and outside Shifa.

Uzma Khan, the former premier’s sister, told reporters on Friday that she was taken to PIMS where she met her brother. Dr. Faisal Sultan, Khan’s physician, was taken to Shifa in a separate car , where he waited for almost three hours. He left after after Khan did not arrive. 

“In view of the foregoing, it is respectfully prayed that this Honorable Court may be pleased to hold and declare that the respondents/contemnors have committed contempt and impose appropriate punishments on them as provided by law,” a petition filed on Uzma Khan’s behalf by Supreme Court advocate Uzair Bhandari said. 

Sharif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Islamabad’s chief commissioner and the superintendent of Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi where Khan is incarcerated, are named as respondents in the petition. 

The petition urged the court to initiate contempt proceedings against them and issue show cause notices to explain why the top court’s order was not implemented. 

It also argued that Khan was not given a complete medical examination at PIMS as directed by the court. The petition said Khan went through only routine eye examination, was administered an eye injection and his blood pressure was checked. 

It said the government’s excuse to change the venue on security grounds was devoid of merit as Dr. Sultan’s “decoy convoy,” who onlookers were made to believe included Khan, reached Shifa and then back to Adiala Jail without any hindrances. 

Furthermore, the petition pointed out that the court had directed the government to take adequate security measures at Shifa during Khan’s treatment there. 

Khan was shifted from prison to PIMS hours after the Supreme Court registrar’s office returned a government petition seeking a review of the hospital order because of filing deficiencies. The government had argued that allowing a convicted prisoner treatment at a specified private hospital could encourage other inmates to seek similar relief. 

The issue is a sensitive one as Khan remains one of Pakistan’s most popular political personalities despite being in prison for over three years and out of the public eye. 

He served as prime minister from 2018 till April 2022, when he was removed from power via a parliamentary vote. Khan alleges he was removed after his political rivals colluded with the military, charges both deny. 

Khan has faced more than 100 legal cases since leaving office, ranging from corruption allegations to charges related to violence by his supporters following his brief arrest in May 2023. All his convictions except a 14-year sentence in the Al-Qadir Trust land corruption case have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending. Khan denies wrongdoing.