US lawmaker welcomes hospital transfer of jailed Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan, urges rights pressure
Washington, Aug 19 (IANS) US Congressman Suhas Subramanyam welcomed a Pakistani Supreme Court order to move jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to a hospital, but said pressure must continue over his human rights and access to medical care.
“I welcome the news that former Prime Minister Imran Khan will be moved to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad,” Subramanyam, an Indian-American Democrat representing Virginia, said in a statement.
“Since his time in custody, reports revealed sustained eye damage, general health concerns, and prolonged solitary confinement. Hospitalization and access to his personal physician and family are needed steps in the right direction. But we must continue to advocate for Mr. Khan’s human rights and access to care,” he said.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered Khan, 73, to be transferred from Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical examinations. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had sought hospital treatment for him for months.
Supreme Court Justice Shahid Waheed said Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023, would be moved within two days.
Uzair Bhandari, one of Khan’s lawyers, said the three-member bench also ordered the creation of a medical board to supervise his treatment. The board will include Khan’s sister, Dr Uzma Khan, and his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan.
“The court also directed that Khan’s family be allowed to meet him at the hospital and that he be permitted to speak with his sons, who live abroad,” Bhandari said.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 16. According to the lawyer, Khan should remain in hospital until at least that date. It would be the longest period he has spent outside prison since his detention began.
Khan received hospital treatment for an eye condition earlier this year. His family and lawyer said at the time that he had lost most of the vision in his right eye.
Subramanyam had led 13 members of the US House of Representatives in sending a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on August 11. The lawmakers expressed concern over the detention conditions of Khan and his wife, Bushra Imran Khan.
The letter cited reports that Khan had been confined to his cell for up to 23 hours a day and had suffered severe eye damage. It also cited concerns about Bushra Khan’s access to clean drinking water, food, family visits and medical treatment.
“We request that the State Department review these concerns and assess the current status of Mr. and Ms. Khan’s conditions,” the lawmakers wrote. “Moreover, we urge the Department to address their continued detention and human rights directly with the Government of Pakistan.”
The signatories included Indian-American lawmakers Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Frank Pallone Jr. They were joined by Joe Wilson, Gus Bilirakis, James McGovern, Donald Beyer Jr., Ilhan Omar, Greg Casar, Johnny Olszewski Jr., Rashida Tlaib and James Walkinshaw.
–IANS
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