“Don’t Politicise Imran Khan’s Health; We Could Be in Government Tomorrow,” Says Ali Zafar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ali Zafar has urged the government not to politicise the health of party founder Imran Khan, warning that the opposition could be in government in the future.

The remarks came during a heated Senate debate between the government and opposition over Imran Khan’s proposed transfer to Shifa International Hospital and implementation of a Supreme Court order.

The Senate session, chaired by Presiding Officer Shahadat Awan, witnessed intense exchanges between lawmakers from both sides.

Ali Zafar said he wanted to move a resolution on the issue and quoted a saying attributed to Hazrat Ali that a society could survive disbelief but not injustice.

He said Article 204 of the Constitution provided for contempt proceedings in case of non-compliance with a Supreme Court order.

Ali Zafar said the Supreme Court had ordered on August 18 that Imran Khan be taken to Shifa International Hospital and that a medical board, including Dr Faisal, be constituted. He claimed that neither the transfer nor the formation of the medical board had taken place.

Calling the security issue an excuse, Ali Zafar alleged that the government had failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s order.

“I tell the government ministers: you may oppose Imran Khan or his party, but do not play with anyone’s health,” he said.

“Do not politicise Imran Khan’s health. We could be in government tomorrow,” Ali Zafar added.

He said if the government believed the court’s decision was inappropriate, it could have sought further directions from the court. He warned that whenever governments stopped obeying court orders, dictatorships emerged.

Ali Zafar said weakening the courts would undermine the rule of law and erode public confidence in state institutions. He urged the government to perform its executive duties and comply with judicial orders rather than acting as a court itself.

He said his proposed resolution stated that the Senate believed in the supremacy of the Constitution and called for Imran Khan to receive treatment at Shifa International Hospital. According to Ali Zafar, the Pakistan Peoples Party supported the resolution in principle but refused to sign it.

Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah, however, said it had already been decided that resolutions could not be brought on matters pending before the courts.

Rana Sanaullah said the government was bound by the Constitution, as were all courts. He said the review option existed precisely to allow constitutional points to be brought to the court’s attention.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s August 18 decision, he said the court had ordered Imran Khan to be taken to Shifa International Hospital for examination by a medical board, while also directing the district administration to ensure security arrangements.

Rana Sanaullah maintained that Imran Khan had been taken to a government hospital in compliance with the court order, where he underwent a complete medical examination before being returned to jail.

He said the government believed that taking Imran Khan to Shifa could have created a law-and-order situation outside the hospital.

“The government should not become a court, but the opposition should not become a court either. The court will decide whether its order has been implemented or not,” Rana Sanaullah said.

He claimed that PTI officials had described Imran Khan as a healthy person during a press conference and said the government had provided him with the best available medical facilities.

Rana Sanaullah also questioned the opposition’s demand for treatment at a private hospital, saying there was no provision in law requiring a prisoner to be treated at a private hospital.

Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas criticized the government, saying it should have demonstrated greater magnanimity. He urged the authorities to take Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination.

He also proposed forming a committee of senators to visit prisons and assess conditions there, urging the government to allow the resolution to be presented.

Senator Nasir Butt accused PTI of disrespecting the courts and questioned why the party was insisting on treatment at Shifa International Hospital. He alleged that the PTI’s press conference regarding Imran Khan’s health also violated the court’s directions.

PTI Senator Mushaal Yousafzai questioned why Imran Khan’s blood tests had allegedly not been conducted and why an angiography had not been performed. She also referred to the reported malfunction of the CT angiography machine at PIMS.

She compared the situation with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, saying Imran Khan would not leave prison for a private medical facility and eventually travel abroad.

Her remarks drew a reaction from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was seen smiling and laughing while listening to her speech.

The Senate session was subsequently adjourned until 10:30 a.m. on Friday.