Alvi Raises Alarm Over Imran Khan’s Latest Medical Report
Former president Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday voiced serious concern over the latest medical report of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, saying the findings required urgent attention and independent medical assessment. The remarks came after a health report concerning Khan was submitted to the Supreme Court by the superintendent of Adiala Jail.
The report has triggered renewed political and public discussion about the jailed former prime minister’s health, particularly because it refers to medication linked with blood pressure management, blood-vessel dilation and anxiety. Alvi, who is a close political ally of Khan and a medical professional by background, said the details should not be treated as routine.
According to the information cited in the report, doctors prescribed medicines to Khan on August 10. Alvi said he reviewed the available medical material with several specialists and found the combination of symptoms and medication concerning, especially the references to stress, anxiety, heart palpitations and elevated blood pressure.
In a statement shared on X, Alvi said he had known Imran Khan for more than three decades and did not consider stress to be a normal weakness for him. He argued that the reported mental and physical strain could reflect the impact of extended detention, limited contact and prolonged isolation from political colleagues, family members and developments outside prison. The post was shared at https://x.com/ArifAlvi/status/2089391500509495529.
Alvi also focused on the medicines mentioned in the report, saying the use of anxiety-related drugs suggested that Khan’s condition should be reviewed more carefully. He added that sleep-related distress appeared likely even if it was not specifically written in the report, and said the matter should not be reduced to a minor jail-health issue.
The former president raised particular concern about Khan’s heart-related indicators, including a reported heart rate of 54 beats per minute and complaints of palpitations. He said these symptoms should be examined through further cardiac evaluation, including monitoring that could track heart rhythm over a longer period and help doctors judge whether treatment changes are required.
Alvi recommended that Khan undergo a broader set of tests, including cardiac screening and blood-pressure monitoring at different times of the day. He said such checks would help determine whether the prescribed medicines were sufficient, excessive or in need of adjustment, especially for a prisoner whose health has become a major political concern.
The statement comes at a sensitive moment as PTI continues to raise questions over Khan’s prison conditions, access to doctors and communication with family members. Health-related claims involving high-profile political detainees often become part of a wider debate over transparency, legal rights and the credibility of official medical supervision.
For Pakistan’s political environment, the issue carries significance beyond one medical report. Any deterioration in Khan’s health could intensify pressure on authorities, sharpen tensions between the government and PTI, and draw further attention from courts, supporters and rights groups seeking independent verification of his condition.
The next step will depend on how prison authorities, the courts and Khan’s legal team respond to the concerns raised by Alvi. Calls for a hospital transfer and examination by an independent panel are likely to remain central to PTI’s demand until more detailed medical updates are made public.