ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Friday accused the federal government of violating the Supreme Court’s order regarding the transfer of party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital, describing the development as “unfortunate”.

Speaking to reporters, Barrister Gohar said that the top court’s directions contained no ambiguity regarding the former premier’s transfer to the medical facility.

He said that there had been no expectation that the PTI founder would be shifted to another hospital or that details of his transfer would not be provided.

“The Supreme Court’s order has been violated,” he claimed.

The PTI chief’s remarks follow Information Minister Attaullah Tarar’s confirmation that Khan was taken back to Adiala jail earlier in the morning after a medical examination at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), with doctors from Shifa International Hospital also present.

In a post on X, Tarar said the former premier was taken to the hospital between the night of August 20 and 21 under “appropriate security arrangements”.

A team of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician, conducted a detailed medical examination and declared Imran “medically fit”, he added.

According to Tarar, Khan’s sister Uzma Khan remained present throughout the medical examination and treatment process.

The Supreme Court on August 18 ordered the jailed ex-premier’s transfer to a medical facility within two days after considering his health condition. The government subsequently filed a review petition against the decision.

However, the Supreme Court’s Registrar Office returned the review petition on Thursday morning after raising certain objections.

Khan, 73, has remained in prison since August 2023 following convictions in several cases that he and his party describe as politically motivated.

He has faced multiple legal proceedings since his ouster as prime minister in April 2022 following a no-confidence vote.

Meanwhile, Barrister Gohar questioned how democracy could function if complying with a court order was difficult.

“Negotiations do not take place like this; this is not how democracy works,” he said.

However, he stressed that the PTI would continue trying to find political solutions to political issues, while stressing that the party wanted them resolved through negotiations.