Imran Khan’s Health Deteriorates As Doctors Flag ‘Severe Anxiety’; Pakistan SC Orders Hospital Transfer

Pakistan’s Former Prime Minister Imran Khan will be moved from jail to hospital with utmost urgency, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday, as per Reuters. The decision came as a respite to Khan’s family who had constantly raised concerns over his health. A multi-member bench delivered the decision following urgent appeals regarding the leader's physical condition.

The 73-year-old former cricketer, who turned to politician and founded the party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, was entangled in a series of cases after his 2022 ouster. He alleged the cases were politically driven.

Why Did Supreme Court Order Imran Khan’s Hospital Transfer?

Medical reports submitted to the court highlighted severe health risks, including uncontrolled blood pressure, heart palpitations and severe psychological stress recorded at an "Anxiety +++" level. These documents detailed cardiovascular issues.

A three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Shahid Wahid and comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, issued the ruling on Imran's petition for his hospitalisation.

The court also directed authorities to allow Imran Khan to meet his family members every week, underscoring the restrictions and isolation faced by political prisoners in the country. It further ordered the constitution of a medical board, with Imran’s personal physician and his sister, Uzma Khan, to be associated with it, Dawn reported.

What Is Imran Khan’s Current Health And Legal Status?

Former President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi described Khan’s reports as ‘alarming’. He said the most concerning part is the state of his mental stress and anxiety, the irregularity in his heartbeat, and the rising blood pressure. The report does not mention lack of sleep, but looking at the medications, it seems almost certain.

He said that Isolation is having physical effects on his body. If it is not addressed immediately, the damage could be irreparable. The next three months are very critical, and it will become clear whether his condition improves or turns into permanent damage, he said.

Khan became Pakistan's Prime Minister in 2018 before being removed from office through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. He was first arrested on 9 May 2023, sparking nationwide protests, and has remained in detention since his subsequent arrest on 5 August 2023.

Amnesty said it had concluded in 2024 that Khan's imprisonment was unlawful and politically motivated. While he was later acquitted in cases relating to official secrets and his marriage, he is currently serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case. Bushra Bibi Khan is serving a seven-year sentence in the same case, while both received an additional 17-year sentence in December 2025 in a separate case involving state gifts.

The rights group also referred to previous findings by UN human rights mechanisms, including concerns raised by the UN Special Rapporteur on torture over their detention conditions and a conclusion by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that Khan's detention was arbitrary and violated international human rights law.