‘A very good development’: SC decision to transfer Imran to hospital widely welcomed

Decision opposed ‘tooth and nail’

Veteran journalist Meher Bokhari noted on X that the further attorney general opposed the Supreme Court order “tooth and nail” and maintained the government “was not prepared”.

“Authorities are still conferring over the matter of moving [Imran Khan] … [after] 7 months of opposition and denial of rights and court orders, the government has no choice now,” she wrote, noting that the order allows him to receive treatment without tying his discharge to a specific date.

“The next hearing, scheduled for September 16, is for the court to review his case, not necessarily to determine when his hospital stay will end,” she added.

‘A very good development’

Journalist Fahd Husain hailed the SC’s decision as “a very good development”, adding that this could be an opportunity for the government to reach out and “bring political temperature down”.

“This also means [the] PTI long march may also come under review,” he added on X.

Pakistan moving with purpose

Renowned anchor and ARY News Chairman Kamran Khan meanwhile said that Imran’s transfer to hospital was part of “an extraordinary period of encouraging developments”, listing the debate around creating new provinces and a potential 28th Constitutional Amendment as examples.

“Pakistan is moving forward with confidence, hope and a renewed sense of national purpose,” he wrote on X.

Lowering political temperature helps everyone

Journalist Absar Alam welcomed the SC’s decision to transfer Imran to hospital, but said, “[The] media must realise stoking flames of political differences may bring temporary towering ratings, but it plummets the country and its people further.”

He added that the lowering of Pakistan’s political temperature would benefit everybody in the long run and that the political system has been weakened by unnecessary suspicion of a political party’s every move.

“No-deal in politics means only two options: war of attrition or a revolution — and in today’s Pakistan no political party can dream [of] a victory choosing either of the two options!!” he wrote on X.

PTI lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat welcomed the SC’s decision, but regretted that the court even had to be approached for a “basic legal right”.

“Imran Khan was deprived of meetings for eight months. He also faced difficulties in the provision of proper medical and healthcare facilities. Despite medical issues like blood pressure, his case saw unusual delays and harshness,” Marwat wrote on X.

“In ordinary cases, relief of this nature is granted by the trial court or, at most, the high court within a few days, but in Imran Khan’s matter, a prolonged legal battle had to be fought.”