US lawmaker urges rights pressure after Imran Khan hospital transfer order
Synopsis
A US congressman's public statement on Imran Khan's hospital transfer reveals how far international scrutiny of Pakistan's treatment of its jailed former prime minister has reached — with a bipartisan group of 13 House members already on record urging Secretary of State Rubio to act. The court-ordered move to Shifa International Hospital is the longest Khan will have spent outside prison since August 2023, but lawmakers say it is only a first step.
Key Takeaways
Pakistan Supreme Court ordered jailed former PM Imran Khan, 73 , transferred from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad , within two days.
US Congressman Suhas Subramanyam welcomed the move but called for sustained pressure on Khan's human rights and medical access.
A 13-member bipartisan US House delegation had written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 11 August citing reports of 23-hour daily cell confinement and severe eye damage.
A medical board including Dr Uzma Khan (Khan's sister) and personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan will supervise his treatment.
Khan's family will be allowed to visit him at the hospital; the next court hearing is on 16 September .
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 ; this hospitalisation would be his longest period outside prison since then.
US Congressman Suhas Subramanyam on 19 August welcomed a Pakistan Supreme Court order directing the transfer of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, while stressing that international pressure on Khan's human rights and access to medical care must not ease.
'I welcome the news that former Prime Minister Imran Khan will be moved to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad,' said Subramanyam, an Indian-American Democrat representing Virginia, in a formal statement.
What the Court Ordered
The Pakistan Supreme Court directed that Khan, 73, be transferred from Rawalpindi's Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital for medical examinations. Supreme Court Justice Shahid Waheed said the move would take place within two days. Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023.
A three-member bench also ordered the formation of a dedicated medical board to oversee his treatment, according to his lawyer Uzair Bhandari. The board will include Khan's sister, Dr Uzma Khan, and his personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan. The court further directed that Khan's family be permitted to meet him at the hospital and that he be allowed to speak with his sons, who live abroad.
The next hearing is scheduled for 16 September. Bhandari said Khan should remain hospitalised until at least that date — which would mark the longest period he has spent outside prison since his detention began.
Khan's Reported Health Condition
Reports have cited sustained eye damage, general health deterioration, and prolonged solitary confinement during Khan's custody. His family and lawyers have previously said he lost most of the vision in his right eye. He received hospital treatment for an eye condition earlier this year. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had sought hospital treatment for him for months before the court's intervention.
Concerns have also been raised about his wife, Bushra Imran Khan, including her reported lack of access to clean drinking water, food, family visits, and medical attention.
US Congressional Letter to Rubio
Subramanyam had earlier led 13 members of the US House of Representatives in sending a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 11 August, expressing concern over the detention conditions of both Imran Khan and Bushra Imran Khan.
The letter cited reports of Khan being confined to his cell for up to 23 hours a day and suffering severe eye damage. '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., alongside Joe Wilson, Gus Bilirakis, James McGovern, Donald Beyer Jr., Ilhan Omar, Greg Casar, Johnny Olszewski Jr., Rashida Tlaib, and James Walkinshaw.
What Comes Next
While Subramanyam described the hospitalisation as 'needed steps in the right direction,' he underscored that advocacy must continue. 'We must continue to advocate for Mr. Khan's human rights and access to care,' he said. With the next court hearing set for 16 September, international attention on Khan's conditions is unlikely to diminish in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
And signals that Khan's case has acquired durable political traction in Washington. Yet the Pakistan government has not publicly responded to the letter, and the Supreme Court order — while a concrete step — came through domestic judicial pressure, not American diplomacy. The real question is whether this hospitalisation leads to a sustained change in Khan's conditions or remains a one-off concession ahead of the 16 September hearing. International pressure tends to dissipate once a headline-grabbing measure is taken; Subramanyam's insistence on continued advocacy suggests he is aware of exactly that risk.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Imran Khan being moved to a hospital?
Pakistan's Supreme Court ordered Imran Khan transferred from Rawalpindi's Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical examinations. Reports have cited sustained eye damage, general health concerns, and prolonged solitary confinement during his custody since August 2023.
Who is US Congressman Suhas Subramanyam and why is he involved?
Suhas Subramanyam is an Indian-American Democrat representing Virginia in the US House of Representatives. He led a bipartisan group of 13 House members in writing to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 11 August, urging the State Department to raise Khan's detention conditions with the Pakistani government.
What did the US congressional letter to Secretary Rubio say?
The letter cited reports of Khan being confined to his cell for up to 23 hours a day and suffering severe eye damage, as well as concerns about his wife Bushra Imran Khan's access to food, clean water, family visits, and medical care. The lawmakers asked the State Department to assess conditions and raise the issue directly with Pakistan's government.
How long will Imran Khan remain in hospital?
According to his lawyer Uzair Bhandari, Khan should remain hospitalised until at least the next court hearing on 16 September. This would mark the longest period he has spent outside prison since his detention began in August 2023.
Who will be on the medical board overseeing Imran Khan's treatment?
The three-member Supreme Court bench ordered a medical board that 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 visit him and that he be permitted to speak with his sons, who live abroad.
