The alarming medical report of Imran Khan, coming amid persistent – and unverified – rumours about his death, has emerged as a fresh rallying point for his family and his supporters demanding his release. It paints a grim picture of the ex-PM’s health.
“Stress was never his weakness. That it is now at peak levels tells you everything about what three years of imprisonment and total isolation have done to him,” said former Pakistani president Arif Alvi on Imran Khan’s latest medical report. The alarming report, coming amid persistent – and unverified – rumours about Khan’s death, has emerged as a fresh rallying point for his family and his supporters demanding his release. It paints a grim picture of the former Pakistani World Cup-winning captain, who has been lodged at the notorious Adiala Jail since August 2023.
The report, which was submitted to the Pakistan Supreme Court by Adiala Jail authorities, points to rising blood pressure, heart palpitations and extreme mental stress. The 73-year-old former prime minister’s blood pressure was recorded at 140/80, pulse at 54 bpm and anxiety at “+++”. In February this year, his blood pressure was recorded at 120/80, which is within the normal range.
Jail authorities, however, told the court that his eyesight had improved to “almost normal”. Interestingly, just six months ago, Khan’s lawyer said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief lost nearly 85% of his vision in his right eye.
WHAT IMRAN KHAN’S MEDICAL REPORT REVEALS?
While Khan’s medical report has not been made public, parts of it were shared by Alvi on X. The former Pakistani president, who is also a dentist, said he reviewed the report with several specialists and found it to be “alarming”.
Alvi identified four “worrying” concerns – acute anxiety, elevated stress, heart palpitations and high blood pressure. “Sleeplessness is not mentioned in the report, but looking at the medications, it is almost certainly there too,” he tweeted.
“He is on Citanil and Lexotanil, three times a day… That is daytime anxiety being treated,” Alvi further said.
Alvi, who said he knew Khan for more than 35 years, attributed his unusually high stress levels to the imprisonment and death of his party colleagues, his limited information of the outside, and his own prolonged isolation.
Khan was elected as Pakistan’s prime minister in 2018 before being removed from office in 2022 after a vote of no confidence. Since then, his party has been hit by sweeping restrictions and was effectively barred from contesting the 2024 election.
Khan was first arrested on May 9, 2023, triggering mass protests and violence across Pakistan. He was arrested again on August 5, 2023, in a web of corruption cases. While Khan has been acquitted in a case involving the leaking of official secrets, he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, continue to languish in jail for illegally selling state gifts.
His family has also raised concerns about poor jail conditions. Earlier this year, Khan’s two sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, told Sky News that he was put in a “death cell”, surrounded by filthy water, and inmates who are “dying of hepatitis”.
Alvi underlined that isolation was taking a physical toll, and demanded that he be moved to a hospital immediately. He also alleged that Khan’s medical reports had previously been manipulated.
“The next three months will decide whether his condition is reversed or becomes permanent,” the former president said.
IMRAN KHAN’S FAMILY BLAME ASIM MUNIR
The damning medical report has given fresh momentum to Khan’s family and his supporters to push for his release. The former PM’s three sisters, who have been at the forefront of protests against the Pakistani government, have also sought access to Khan.
His sons, in an interview with CNN last week, have claimed they had no updates as his family, doctors, and lawyers “haven’t been allowed to see him for seven months”.
In a video released by PTI on Monday, Khan’s sisters have explicitly named Pakistani army chief Asim Munir for his condition. Dr Uzma Khan alleged that Munir “directly orders the colonel” and must be held responsible if anything happens to Imran Khan.
Those closely following Pakistani politics know the intense rivalry between Khan and Munir. Munir was surreptitiously removed as ISI chief by the former PM in 2019.
Last week, hundreds of PTI workers clashed with security forces in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Mianwali during a protest on the third anniversary of Khan’s arrest. Over 100 supporters of the former PM were arrested.
Even as Pakistan’s streets saw pitched battles, a fresh death rumour added fuel to the tensions. Popular journalist Wajahat Saeed Khan stirred a hornet’s nest last week after he claimed that Khan had already died in his cell. The journalist cited a source in the Pakistani army behind his explosive claim.
However, hours later, Wajahat walked back on his claim. He said his sources had never actually confirmed Imran Khan’s death. It also prompted a rare statement from the Pakistani army, which called the journalist’s claim baseless.
Similar death rumours circulated last year in November as well, before Khan’s sister Uzma Khanum met him at Adiala Jail in December.
However, the journalist’s claim was enough to light a powder keg. Muhammad Suhail Afridi, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI is in power, announced that thousands of party workers would march towards Islamabad on September 27 if “justice” is not provided to Khan.
