ISLAMABAD: The medical treatment of incarcerated former Prime Minister and PTI founding chairman, Imran Khan, has once again become a flashpoint for controversy following a third, unscheduled hospital visit during the early hours of Monday morning.
According to reports from Islamabad-based journalist Muhammad Zareef, Khan was transported from Adiala Jail to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) at approximately 1:50 AM on April 27, 2026. Under heavy security, the former premier underwent medical assessment for just over an hour before being shifted back to prison custody at 3:10 AM.
ذرائع کے مطابق عمران خان کو رات 1بجکر 50 منٹ پر پمز اسپتال لایا گیا اور 3بجکر 10 منٹ پرواپس اڈیالہ جیل کی طرف سخت سیکیورٹی میں واپس بھیج دیا گیا۔ میں نے اس کی آفیشل تصدیق کے لیے پمز انتظامیہ کو متعدد میسجز کیے ہیں جواب کا انتظار ہے
— Muhammad Zareef (@muhammadzareef_) April 28, 2026
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has reacted with sharp criticism, decrying the “secretive” nature of the transfer. Party officials continue to question why such movements are consistently conducted in the dead of night without prior notification to his family or legal counsel.
This latest incident marks the fourth significant medical transfer for Khan in 2026, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding his health.
Government vs. PTI: The Battle of Narratives
The government maintains that these hospitalizations are strictly for the former prime minister’s well-being. Officials state that all transfers to public hospitals are conducted with Khan’s consent and facilitated by top medical experts.
“All medical movements are executed under the guidance of specialists to ensure the health of the former Prime Minister is prioritized,” a government spokesperson noted.
Conversely, the PTI remains skeptical, arguing that the restrictive conditions of his detention—and the lack of real-time communication—obscure the true status of his health. While court-mandated medical boards continue to perform regular check-ups within the confines of Adiala Jail to minimize the need for high-profile transfers, the frequency of these midnight visits has kept the political climate in Islamabad on edge.
As of Monday morning, no official medical report has been released detailing the specific reason for this latest emergency visit.
