The origin of alarming claims about the health of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan remains unclear, after his lawyer, Salman Safdar, distanced himself from being the source of the information. The claims were circulated on social media by Khan’s sister, Rubina Khan, and his son, Kasim Khan.
Rubina Khan, in a statement that Kasim Khan shared online, said her brother had sent a message that his blood pressure had suddenly risen to 192. She alleged that his life was under threat in jail and demanded that he be admitted immediately to an independent medical institution, in the presence of his personal doctor.
Family statements raise concern over blood pressure reading
Kasim Khan linked the reported spike to his father’s prolonged isolation and warned that he could die in his prison cell if he was not released. The statements caused considerable concern about the former prime minister’s health.
Also read: Medical team examines Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi at Adiala
The concern grew because the statements came only a few days after Safdar met Khan in Adiala Jail on November 2.
Lawyer says he was not the source of the reports
When approached about the reports, Safdar said he was not the source of what was being said about Khan’s health. He described himself as a professional lawyer whose role was limited to legal work, and said he was not a messenger for anyone.
After the meeting, Safdar said jail authorities had facilitated a 40-minute meeting with Khan and his wife, Bushra Imran, at 4:30pm on November 2. He said he had met Khan after seven months and Bushra Bibi after 11 months, following repeated applications. In a post on X, he said the meeting was not enough to cover all pending cases and legal matters. He added that both had briefed him on their health and living conditions and had given fresh instructions on certain legal issues.
Other sources describe a less alarming picture
Sources familiar with the circumstances of the meeting gave a different account of Khan’s health. According to them, he did mention that his blood pressure had once risen to around 190. However, they described him as otherwise generally fit and said there was no sign of an immediate serious medical emergency.
These sources said Khan was particularly worried about the health of his wife, who reportedly has an eye-related problem.
The discrepancy raises questions about how the reading of 192 and the grave assessment of his health reached his sister and son. It is unclear whether the claims were based on a separate communication from Khan or on information passed through another channel. Neither Rubina Khan nor Kasim Khan has publicly named the person who conveyed the update, and the gap between the two accounts has added to the uncertainty about the former prime minister’s health.
