PTI Files Contempt Plea in SC Over Imran Khan Shifa Hospital Refusal

In a dramatic legal move, Dr. Uzma Khan—sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan—filed a formal contempt petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The petition cites government officials for deliberate non-compliance with the court’s August 18 order directing authorities to transfer the former Prime Minister to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment.

Filed through legal counsel, the petition contends that state authorities willfully disregarded unambiguous judicial directions. Despite the apex court order granting two days to execute the private hospital transfer, government officials instead briefly shifted Imran Khan to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) before returning him directly to Adiala Jail.

IMRAN KHAN HOSPITAL TRANSFER LEGAL PETITION

Forum / Jurisdiction	Supreme Court of Pakistan
Petitioner	Dr. Uzma Khan (Sister of Imran Khan)
Action Requested	Contempt of Court Proceedings & Show-Cause Notices
Baseline Judicial Order	August 18 Supreme Court Bench Order
Designated Facility	Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad
Alternate Action Taken	Brief check-up at PIMS & return to Adiala Jail

Inside the Supreme Court Contempt Petition

The petition submitted by Dr. Uzma Khan asks the Supreme Court to appoint a court officer or local commission to enforce its earlier directives immediately. According to the filing, the directions issued by the three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed were fully binding and required no further legal interpretation.

• Wilful Disobedience: The petition argues that failing to transfer Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital constitutes a direct challenge to the judicial authority of the Supreme Court.

• Rejection of Review Argument: PTI's legal team emphasized that simply filing a review plea by state officials does not suspend or nullify an active, enforceable court order.

• Call for Punitive Action: The filing requests personal appearances and show-cause notices for all administrative officials involved in blocking the transfer.

Legal Timeline: The Shifa Hospital Dispute

Timeline Date	Official Event / Judicial Action	Legal Outcome / State Response
August 18	SC Interim Order: Bench orders 2-day transfer to Shifa Hospital.	Directs multidisciplinary board medical check-up.
August 20	Govt Review Returned: SC Registrar returns review petition over paper errors.	PTI demands immediate execution of transfer.
August 21	PIMS Medical Visit: Officials quietly move Imran Khan to PIMS.	Government declares him fit; returns him to Adiala.
August 22	Contempt Plea Filed: Dr. Uzma Khan files contempt case in Supreme Court.	Demands court commission to enforce Shifa transfer.

Government Stand vs. PTI Legal Claims

The controversy highlights a growing conflict between prison administration rules and judicial directives. State representatives, led by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, maintain that medical check-ups must conform strictly to prison manuals and standard public medical procedures. The Chief Commissioner's office separately argued that granting private hospital access sets a discriminatory precedent against equal treatment rules under Article 25 of the Constitution.

AUG 18 SUPREME COURT DIRECTIVE

GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION	PTI LEGAL CONTEMPT PETITION
Filed Review Citing Prison Rules & PIMS	Claims Disobedience of Apex Court
Claims Equal Treatment Under Article 25	Demands Commission to Enforce Transfer

Conversely, PTI leaders and legal representatives insist that medical care recommendations from qualified doctors and binding court orders take legal precedence over administrative objections. With the contempt plea now formally submitted, the Supreme Court is set to review whether executive officials breached constitutional compliance.