Islamabad [Pakistan], August 24 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday demanded that former prime minister and party founder Imran Khan undergo a CT Coronary Angiography at Shifa International Hospital, condemning the failure to conduct the recommended cardiac test at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Express Tribune reported.
PTI Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram said a government medical board examined Imran on August 10 following complaints of heart palpitations and severe headaches, according to the news report.
He said a cardiologist at PIMS had recommended a CT Coronary Angiography on August 1 due to fluctuating blood pressure, restlessness and potential risks of cardiac complications, given Imran's age and prolonged isolation.
"Even the government's own doctors considered this diagnostic test medically necessary," Akram said, alleging that when Imran was taken to PIMS, the recommended procedure was not performed.
According to Akram, hospital officials claimed that the required equipment was unavailable, despite the presence of a functional CT scanner in the radiology department capable of conducting the test.
He said the incident had intensified concerns over what he described as repeated delays and apparent negligence in providing Imran with timely and appropriate medical care.
"A former prime minister was taken to a government hospital in the middle of the night, assessed by doctors who recommended an essential cardiac investigation, and then returned to Adiala Jail without the test being conducted. This cannot be dismissed as an isolated administrative lapse; it reflects a deeply troubling pattern," Akram said, as reported by Express Tribune.
He said the required specialist facilities were available at Shifa International Hospital.
Akram also referred to a Supreme Court order concerning Imran's comprehensive medical examination and treatment at Shifa International Hospital, alleging that authorities had bypassed the directive and instead transferred him to a facility where the CT angiography was not performed.
"When the necessary facilities were available at Shifa International, deliberately taking Imran to a hospital unable or unwilling to perform the procedure raises a grave question: was the decision made in advance to prevent the CT Coronary Angiography from being conducted?" he asked.
"Authorities must explain why he was not taken to the facility specifically designated for his medical care," he added.
The PTI leader rejected government assertions that Imran was receiving adequate medical attention.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's decision to form an inquiry committee only underscored what he described as a systemic failure, raising questions about why the medically recommended test had not been conducted, why inter-departmental coordination had failed and why directives concerning Shifa International had allegedly been ignored.
The PTI demanded the immediate performance of the recommended CT Coronary Angiography at Shifa International Hospital under the supervision of independent specialists and Imran's personal physicians.
It also called for the prompt disclosure of all medical records, reports and diagnostic results to his family, personal medical team and legal counsel.
The party demanded full implementation of the Supreme Court's order regarding Imran's comprehensive medical examination and treatment at Shifa International Hospital.
It also called for a transparent and non-partisan inquiry into why Imran was taken to PIMS instead of Shifa International and who ordered that the recommended diagnostic procedure not be performed, as reported by the Express Tribune.
The Supreme Court on August 18 ordered that incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan be shifted to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital within two days for medical examination and treatment, while directing the government to constitute a specialised medical board for his care.
A three-member bench comprising Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Naeem Akhter Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim passed the directions while hearing interconnected matters concerning Imran, including his plea relating to medical treatment and access to family members and lawyers.
However, the government on August 20 briefly transferred Imran to PIMS and later shifted him back to Adiala Jail after his medical examination, citing security concerns, a move condemned by the opposition as a flagrant violation of the Supreme Court order. (ANI)
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf demands CT coronary angiography for Imran Khan at Shifa International Hospital
