Khan sent back to prison after brief medical check at Islamabad hospital

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was returned to Adiala Jail on Friday after undergoing a medical examination at the public Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, rather than the private clinic ordered by the Supreme Court. The government cited security concerns over his supporters as the reason for the change, and a team of doctors declared him medically fit. Khan, who is serving a 17-year sentence alongside his wife, had been ordered to receive treatment within 48 hours after his lawyers raised health concerns.

The Supreme Court had ordered Khan's transfer to Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours after his lawyers petitioned over health concerns, but the government redirected him to the public Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences instead, citing risks posed by supporters gathering at the private facility. Police cordoned off roads near Shifa International late Thursday, and the court had previously warned against public assemblies on hospital grounds.

Khan, 73, had earlier received eye treatment at PIMS, where his family reported he had lost most vision in his right eye. His sister, a physician, was present during Friday's examination by a team including an ophthalmologist and cardiologist. Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi remain at Adiala Jail serving 17-year sentences, with their next Supreme Court hearing scheduled for September 16.