Pakistan, August 19 : Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s health has deteriorated significantly, with former president Arif Alvi describing his condition as “extremely concerning” and calling for immediate medical treatment.
In a post on X, Alvi said he had discussed Khan’s medical reports with several specialists and was particularly concerned about the former premier’s anxiety, mental stress, palpitations and high blood pressure.
Alvi, who said he has known Khan for more than 35 years, argued that the prolonged isolation and nearly three years of imprisonment were taking a serious toll on his health.
He said Khan’s resting heart rate, historically low for him, had risen to 54 beats per minute. Although doctors may consider that rate normal for the general population, Alvi said it was not necessarily normal given Khan’s physical condition. He also noted that Khan himself had reported experiencing palpitations.
Alvi recommended that Khan undergo 24-hour Holter monitoring and have his blood pressure checked regularly. He also called for further cardiac examinations, including a stress test, echocardiogram, cardiac MRI, coronary calcium scan and cardiac CT angiography.
“I am deeply concerned,” Alvi said, warning that Khan’s isolated life could cause serious and potentially irreversible damage to his health if immediate action is not taken.
The former president urged authorities to transfer Khan to a hospital under the supervision of an independent team of doctors, saying Khan’s family and the Pakistani public did not have sufficient confidence in relying solely on government-appointed physicians.
Alvi also said the next three months could be critical in determining whether Khan’s deteriorating health can be reversed or whether the damage becomes permanent.
Concerns over Khan’s health have also been raised by his sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan. They recently said that for around seven months, neither family members, doctors nor lawyers had been allowed to meet him, leaving them without reliable information about his condition.
Khan, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022, was removed from office following a parliamentary no-confidence vote. He has remained imprisoned since 2023 after being convicted in several cases, including corruption and the disclosure of state secrets.
Khan and his political allies have consistently rejected the charges as politically motivated, alleging that the cases are intended to prevent his return to politics.
His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters have continued to demand his immediate release, along with that of his wife, Bushra Bibi.
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