The Senate on Tuesday witnessed a heated argument as the opposition grilled the government for allegedly throwing the binding orders of the Supreme Court into the dustbin, while the treasury side stressed that it was for the apex court to determine whether or not the verdict had been implemented. During the course of argument over the issue of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan's treatment in light of the Supreme Court order, both sides accused each other of assuming the role of a court.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Shahadat Awan, who was chairing the sitting, disallowed the opposition from moving a resolution about the implementation of the order concerning Imran Khan's treatment at the Shifa International Hospital. However, he allowed discussion on points of public importance, saying the matter was sub judice and therefore a resolution could not be moved to debate it. Taking the floor, PTI parliamentary leader Barrister Syed Ali Zafar contended that the government cannot become the Supreme Court, insisting on compliance with the court's order on Imran Khan in letter and spirit.

"Today, the real question is not Imran Khan; the real question is the Constitution of Pakistan. The real question is whether this government is bound by the Supreme Court's orders," he maintained. He stressed that the Supreme Court's August 18 order concerning Imran Khan's medical treatment was clear and had specifically required compliance in letter and spirit. He argued that even if the government believed there was a security problem or some other difficulty, the proper course was to return to the Supreme Court and seek further directions.

Addressing the treasury benches, he said the government could have differences with Imran Khan, his politics and his political party, and that it was fully entitled to fight those differences politically. "लेकिन fight those differences through politics," he insisted, "and do not play politics with Imran Khan's health; do not play politics with human rights." Senator Zafar said the matter should not be viewed simply as a dispute between the government and Imran Khan or as an issue concerning one political party, concluding that it fundamentally impacts the rule of law and judicial independence across the country.