ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday summoned Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan as it resumed proceedings concerning the hospital transfer and medical treatment of PTI founder Imran Khan.
The case relates to the court’s Aug 18 order directing the government to shift the incarcerated former premier to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board.
The government, however, subsequently took Mr Khan to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), citing security concerns, before he was returned to Adiala jail.
Following the development, Mr Khan’s sister, Dr Uzma Khan, approached the Supreme Court with a contempt petition, alleging that the government had failed to comply with the court’s directions.
The Supreme Court had fixed the contempt petition for hearing on Sept 16, along with pending matters concerning Mr Khan’s health and meetings with his family.
The proceedings also come amid a separate legal dispute over medical facilities for prisoners. Three Adiala jail inmates had sought similar relief after the Aug 18 order concerning Mr Khan.
The Islamabad High Court had dismissed their petitions on Aug 31, observing that a prisoner did not have a legal right to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice.
The matter was subsequently taken before the Federal Constitutional Court, which on Tuesday summoned the complete record of cases concerning Mr Khan’s proposed transfer to Shifa International Hospital.
The FCC also sought records of similar cases from the high courts under Article 175-E of the Constitution.
The latest proceedings have brought the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court over constitutional and fundamental-rights matters into focus
