Tarar Confirms Imran Khan Was Taken to PIMS, Not Shifa

Federal Information Minister says PTI founder underwent a medical examination at PIMS before being declared medically fit and shifted back to Adiala Jail before dawn

Staff Report 

ISLAMABAD: After much speculation, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar eventually clarified that PTI founder Imran Khan was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a medical examination rather than to Shifa International Hospital, where the Supreme Court (SC) had directed that he be transferred.

In post on X, Tarar said that Imran Khan underwent a detailed medical examination at PIMS by a team of doctors and was subsequently declared medically fit. He said that Imran Khan was shifted back to Adiala Jail at approximately 5am after the completion of the medical process.

The statement came hours after media reports said that Imran underwent a medical examination at Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital during the early hours of Friday.

The Federal Information Minister’s initial statement on the matter did not specifically name the hospital where Imran was taken, as the SC’s orders from earlier this week had directed the government to take Imran to Shifa International Hospital, which is a private institution.

However, Tarar later clarified that the former prime minister was taken to PIMS where the PTI founder has undergone treatment for an eye ailment in recent months.

In a post on X, the information minister said, “In the light of the Supreme Court’s order, the prisoner was taken to the hospital under appropriate security arrangements during the night between August 20 and 21.”

“A team of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, and a physician, conducted a detailed examination of him and declared him medically fit,” he said, adding that Imran’s sister Uzma Khan was also present during the examination. “After the completion of this entire process, he was shifted back to Adiala jail on the morning of August 21 at approximately 5am,” he said.

In a subsequent post, he said, “The medical examination was conducted at PIMS in which doctors from Al Shifa Hospital were also present. “In light of the security situation created by PTI workers on the way to and outside Al Shifa Hospital, he was taken to PIMS and according to the medical examination, was found healthy,” he said.

He said that Imran had been provided medical treatment in the past and would continue to be provided them in the future. Shifa International Hospital is located in Islamabad’s Sector H-8, which also houses several educational institutes and other government offices. Visuals from outside the hospital on Thursday night showed that both Pitras Bukhari Road and Service Road South had been cordoned off, and a sizeable contingent of law enforcement personnel present.

There was tight security around Shifa International Hospital for Imran’s visit on Thursday night. Security pickets were set up on roads leading to the hospital and around 800 personnel were deployed in and around the premises, following a security audit of the building. The Islamabad police chief, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, also visited the hospital twice to oversee preparations.