PTI Doctors Demand Immediate Transfer of Imran Khan to Shifa Hospital, Warn of Nationwide Protests
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s medical wing has escalated pressure on the federal government, demanding the immediate transfer of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to Shaafa International Hospital for comprehensive medical treatment — warning that street protests will follow if the government fails to act.
The demand was made at a press conference in Peshawar organized by the Insaf Doctors Forum, addressed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan alongside KP Health Minister Mian Khaliqur Rehman.
Eye Ailment Going Untreated for Four Months
At the centre of the doctors’ concern is an eye condition that Imran Khan has reportedly been suffering from for the past four months. Shafi Jan told journalists that one of Khan’s eyes has still not fully recovered, yet the former prime minister has been denied access to his personal physicians throughout his incarceration.
“The government has neither allowed his personal doctors to visit him nor provided authentic information to the public about his true health condition,” the minister said, accusing authorities of deliberately withholding medical care as a form of political punishment.
The Insaf Doctors Forum backed the minister’s assessment, stating that the prison medical facilities available to Imran Khan are inadequate for treating his condition and calling for his transfer to Shaafa International Hospital — a private tertiary care facility in Islamabad — where specialized treatment could be administered.
Bushra Bibi, Imran Khan’s wife who is also imprisoned, was named alongside her husband in the transfer demand, with party representatives asserting that she too is being denied appropriate healthcare.
Protest Authority Handed to Achakzai
In a significant political development, Shafi Jan revealed that PTI has handed over the authority to lead and time the next phase of its protest movement to Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the veteran Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party chief who has emerged as a key opposition ally.
“Whenever he issues orders — whether to block roads or launch a long march — we will fully support him,” Shafi Jan declared, signalling that the party is prepared for large-scale street action but is coordinating timing with its coalition partners.
The move suggests PTI is broadening its protest strategy beyond party ranks, leveraging Achakzai’s influence in Pashtun-majority areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to widen the pressure campaign against the ruling coalition.
Double Standard Alleged in Treatment of Political Prisoners
Shafi Jan drew a pointed comparison between how Imran Khan is currently being treated and the conditions afforded to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his imprisonment under PTI’s government.
“Even when Nawaz Sharif was behind bars, he was provided all facilities. Around 150 people visited him daily, Maryam Nawaz was allowed regular meetings, and her barrack was located near his,” the minister said. “Why are these same standards not being extended to our leader and his wife?”
The comparison is likely to intensify the political charge around Imran Khan’s detention, with PTI framing the disparity as evidence of targeted persecution rather than standard incarceration procedure.
Fuel Price Hike Draws Sharp Criticism
The press conference also turned to economic grievances, with Shafi Jan criticizing the federal government’s decision to raise petrol prices — a move he said was made overnight while global attention was focused on the United States and Israel’s military strikes on Iran.
“Pakistan’s rulers chose that moment to loot the pockets of the people and benefit a select few,” he said, framing the fuel price increase as emblematic of a government that acts against public interest under the cover of international news cycles.
The criticism taps into widespread public frustration over rising fuel and energy costs, an issue that PTI and its allied parties have been using to mobilize support ahead of any potential protest mobilization.
Background: Imran Khan’s Ongoing Imprisonment
Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023, following his conviction in the cipher case — a verdict his party has consistently rejected as politically motivated. He has since been convicted in multiple additional cases, with PTI maintaining that all charges are fabricated to prevent him from returning to politics.
His health has been a recurring flashpoint. PTI has repeatedly raised alarms about conditions inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan is held, while the government has offered limited public comment on his medical status. Independent verification of his health condition by neutral medical professionals has not been permitted, a fact that human rights observers have also flagged.
The latest intervention by the Insaf Doctors Forum and KP government ministers is the most organized medical advocacy push yet — combining professional credibility with political weight in an effort to force a government response.
As of the time of publication, the federal government had not issued an official response to the hospital transfer demand.