Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered that jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan be transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within 48 hours, following complaints about his deteriorating health. The three-judge panel said it was mindful of its constitutional duty to protect a prisoner's life, health, dignity and security, and also ruled that Khan be allowed weekly family visits and phone calls with his sons. The decision matters because it addresses long-standing concerns from Khan's legal team and supporters about restricted access to medical care during his imprisonment.

Khan's lawyers say the 73-year-old has several health conditions, including severely impaired eyesight, and in February claimed he had just 15% vision left in his right eye after prison authorities failed to act, an allegation the government disputed. An eye specialist is now expected to be involved in his hospital treatment. Khan, a former national cricket captain who was prime minister from 2018 to 2022, has been imprisoned since August 2023 on corruption and other charges he calls politically motivated, and was sentenced to 17 years alongside his wife, Bushra Bibi, last year; his party has urged supporters not to gather outside the hospital during his transfer.