Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved from Adiala jail to the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) early Friday under tight security, according to local media reports.

This transfer defied a specific directive from Pakistan's Supreme Court, which ordered authorities to move Khan, 73, to the private Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours and grant him access to a medical panel including his personal physician.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party filed a contempt petition against the government after the authorities placed Khan at PIMS rather than the private facility mandated by the judiciary.

The Supreme Court issued the directive on Tuesday through a three-judge bench, directing the government to transfer Khan to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination due to concerns about his health.