Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar has said that all necessary healthcare facilities have been provided to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
Addressing a press conference alongside Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Tarar said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had never politicised health-related matters.
He said the government was ensuring that Imran Khan receives the medical care and healthcare facilities required during his incarceration.
Tarar reiterated that health matters should not be turned into a political issue and said the authorities remain committed to providing necessary medical facilities to prisoners.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court’s order regarding the transfer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for treatment was challenged in the superior court.
The review petition has been filed by Chief Commissioner Islamabad on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had ordered Imran Khan’s immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment.
The petition argues that the court’s order ignored the prescribed procedure for transferring a prisoner to a hospital under the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978.
According to the petition, Rule 197 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 clearly lays down the procedure for transferring a prisoner to a hospital. However, the petitioner contends that the Supreme Court’s order issued the previous day departed from these rules, amounting to a significant legal flaw on the record.
The petition states that Article 10-A of the Constitution guarantees the right to a fair trial, but an interim order was issued in the case without serving notices on the relevant parties. It further argues that the court granted unilateral interim relief without first deciding the important legal question regarding the maintainability of the petition.
The petitioner also maintains that relief of a final nature cannot be granted at an interim stage. According to the petition, by accepting all the prayers and requests at the interim stage, the court effectively resolved the core issue of the case, which it says is contrary to principles already established by the Supreme Court.
The petition also refers to Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. It argues that allowing a convicted prisoner to receive treatment at a private hospital could have broader implications for the criminal justice system and could open the door for similar demands from other prisoners.
It further states that the Chief Commissioner Islamabad and other relevant departments were not formally made parties to the case and were not given proper notice before the order was issued.
The petitioner has argued that the court’s order is contrary to the principles of natural justice and fairness.
Read more: Supreme Court directs Imran Khan’s immediate transfer to Shifa Hospital