PTI asks Supreme Court for early hearing on Imran Khan's hospital transfer

PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Friday that reports about the health of the party's founder, Imran Khan, are not encouraging and that the whole nation is concerned. He spoke to reporters outside Parliament House in Islamabad.

Gohar said a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking an early hearing of the case on the founder's transfer to hospital. The petition asks the court to implement its 18 August order, which directed that he be shifted to hospital and treated. The same order also directed the formation of a medical board for his treatment.

Gohar said he met Barrister Salman Safdar, who gave the party information about Khan's health and some instructions on his cases. He said there should be no compromise on the founder's health and that political tension should not increase further. He demanded that decisions be taken on the hospital transfer and treatment.

Senator Mashal Yousafzai said the founder's health problems are emerging. She said the case had not been fixed for hearing four weeks after it was filed. According to information from Adiala Jail, she said, his blood pressure rises to 192 because of solitary confinement. She asked the Supreme Court to fix the case for hearing next week.

Gohar also urged an end to the arrests of lawmakers, party workers and supporters. He said the founder's sisters are in jail, that nothing is known about them so far, and that they should be released immediately.

The reports do not include any response from the government or the jail authorities to the claims about Khan's health.