IHC to hear Imran’s plea seeking hospital transfer on March 10

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed the registrar’s office to fix PTI founder Imran Khan’s plea — seeking permission to undergo medical treatment at Shifa International Hospital — for hearing on March 10.

The IHC also fixed the main appeal in the Toshakhana criminal case — in which the PTI founder was first arrested on Aug 5, 2023 — for hearing on March 10.

A division bench comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro heard the matter along with objections raised by the Registrar’s Office.

Senior counsel Latif Khosa, assisted by Salman Akram Raja and other lawyers, appeared before the court. The bench inquired about the nature of objections raised by the Registrar’s Office on the miscellaneous application.

Responding to the court, Khosa submitted that one of the objections pertained to the non-provision of a certified copy of the power of attorney. Justice Tahir observed that two of the objections were valid.

The court subsequently directed the office to number the application after the removal of objections.

At one point, the bench asked the defence why arguments were not being advanced in the main appeal. “Why don’t you give arguments on the main appeal?” the court questioned.

Khosa responded that they were ready and requested that the matter be taken up the following day. The bench said it would hear both the main appeal and the miscellaneous application together.

The court also inquired whether the paper book in the appeal was ready and directed the office to prepare the same, noting that it would take two to three days.

The bench observed that the sentence in the case had already been suspended and issued notice on the request seeking Imran’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment. A notice was also issued to the state on the said application.

The PTI counsel requested that the bench fix the plea regarding Imran’s hospital admission for hearing tomorrow.

However, the IHC directed that the application and the Toshakhana appeal be fixed for hearing on March 10. “Come prepared for the next hearing,” Justice Tahir remarked.

Imran’s legal, medical troubles

Imran — imprisoned since Aug 5, 2023 for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts — is serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in the £190 million corruption case.

Although the IHC had suspended the PTI founder’s three-year sentence in the Toshakhana case on Aug 29, 2023, his incarceration continued in the cipher case, in which he was acquitted later.

He was convicted in another Toshakhana case in December 2025 and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023, riots.

The IHC is also set to hear Imran and Bushra’s petitions seeking the suspension of their sentences in the £190m case on March 11.

Last week, Justice Soomro removed objections on the petitions seeking suspension of Imran and Bushra’s sentences in the Toshakhana 2.0 case.

An Islamabad special court on Dec 20, 2025, sentenced the couple to a total of 17 years in the case, which pertained to the purchase of a Bulgari jewellery set — gifted to Imran by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021 — at a throwaway price.

The incarcerated ex-prime minister’s family and party have been raising concerns about his health since his eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January.

Concerns mounted after partial vision loss in the right eye was reported via a lawyer who met Imran upon the SC’s intervention. Doctors later confirmed that, with glasses, the PTI founder had 6/9 partial vision in the right eye.

It may be mentioned that Imran’s family and personal doctors want him to be admitted to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad. The Supreme Court (SC) last week raised objections to a plea seeking his transfer to a hospital of his choice.