Islamabad: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan remains at the centre of a long running legal and political battle in Pakistan, with more than 100 cases filed against him since his removal from power in 2022. The latest development has added a new dimension to the dispute as the country’s Supreme Court has ordered that the jailed former leader be moved from prison to a hospital because of concerns about his health.
Khan, 73, has been in prison since August 2023. His supporters say the cases against him are part of a political campaign designed to keep him away from public life, while Pakistani authorities have maintained that the cases are being handled through the legal system. Khan has rejected the allegations against him.
The legal situation is complicated because not all of the cases have resulted in convictions that remain in force. Some convictions have been overturned, while other sentences have been suspended or are being challenged through appeals.
One of the most important cases is the Al Qadir Trust case, which involves allegations surrounding £190 million returned to Pakistan following a settlement involving a property developer under investigation in Britain. Prosecutors alleged that Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, received land and other benefits through the Al Qadir Trust in connection with the matter.
Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the case, while Bushra Bibi received a seven year sentence. Khan has denied wrongdoing and has challenged the conviction. The case remains particularly important because it has continued to play a major role in keeping him behind bars.
Another major legal battle involved a classified diplomatic cable, commonly known as the cypher case. Khan was accused of making public information contained in the document and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2024. That conviction was later overturned on appeal, removing one of the major legal obstacles that had previously kept him imprisoned.
Khan has also faced several cases linked to state gifts received during his time as prime minister. The cases, commonly referred to as Toshakhana cases, involve allegations that he improperly retained or sold valuable gifts received from foreign governments. Some sentences connected with these cases have been suspended while appeals continue.
A separate case involving Khan’s marriage to Bushra Bibi also ended in an acquittal. The couple had been sentenced to seven years after allegations that their marriage took place before the required waiting period following Bushra Bibi’s previous divorce. They were later acquitted in the case.
Khan continues to face legal proceedings connected with violent protests that followed his arrest in May 2023. Prosecutors have accused him of encouraging or supporting violence against government and military facilities. Khan has denied responsibility for the violence, while his supporters say the cases are being used to weaken his political movement.
The latest development, however, concerns Khan’s health rather than a new criminal charge.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered that he be transferred from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment. The decision came after concerns were raised about his physical condition, including problems affecting his right eye and reports of blood pressure difficulties.
The court has ordered medical specialists and Khan’s personal doctor to be involved in his treatment. The transfer is expected to provide him with closer medical supervision while he remains in custody.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf party welcomed the court decision. Party leaders have repeatedly demanded better medical access for the former prime minister and greater access for his family and personal doctors. At the same time, the party has urged supporters not to gather outside the hospital, following the court’s directions.
The hospital transfer is significant because Khan’s health has become another point of tension between his supporters and the authorities. His family and political allies have expressed concern that his medical needs were not being properly addressed in prison, while government officials have rejected claims that he was being denied medical treatment.
The broader political importance of Khan also remains considerable. His party won a large number of seats in the 2024 general election despite Khan being imprisoned and PTI candidates facing restrictions. The party was unable to form the federal government, but the election demonstrated that Khan continues to have a strong political following.
For now, Khan’s future depends on several legal battles moving through Pakistan’s courts. His supporters continue to demand his release, while the authorities insist that the cases must proceed according to law.
The Supreme Court’s decision to move him to hospital does not end those legal proceedings. Instead, it places his health at the centre of the latest chapter in a political and legal struggle that has continued since his removal from office.
With appeals still pending and several cases unresolved, Imran Khan’s imprisonment remains one of the most closely watched political issues in Pakistan. The immediate focus will now be on his medical condition, his treatment in hospital and whether the latest court intervention will have any wider effect on his continuing legal battles.