Former Pakistan President Arif Alvi has raised serious concerns about the health of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying recent medical reports show anxiety, heart palpitations and high blood pressure that require urgent medical attention.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Alvi said he had reviewed Khan’s medical reports with several specialists and considered the findings alarming. He said the most concerning issues were Khan’s high levels of stress and anxiety, palpitations and elevated blood pressure.
Alvi said Khan’s reported resting heart rate of 54 beats per minute might appear normal to doctors but was unusually high compared with Khan’s historically lower rate.
He also said the reports did not specifically mention sleeplessness, but medications prescribed to Khan could indicate that he was experiencing difficulty sleeping.
“I have known Imran Khan for more than 35 years. Stress was never his weakness,” Alvi said, adding that the level of stress he now faces reflects the impact of nearly three years of imprisonment and isolation.
Alvi linked Khan’s mental and physical condition to his prolonged detention, limited access to information and separation from colleagues and supporters. He said Khan had been unable to regularly access newspapers, books and outside information.
The former president called for immediate cardiac monitoring and recommended a series of medical tests, including a stress test, echocardiogram, cardiac MRI, coronary calcium scan and CT angiogram.
Alvi said Khan should be transferred to a hospital and treated under the supervision of an independent panel of doctors. He argued that Khan’s family and supporters did not have confidence in government-appointed medical teams alone.
“I am deeply worried. Isolation is taking a physical toll on his body,” Alvi said, warning that failure to address the concerns quickly could lead to further complications.
Khan’s sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, have also expressed concern about their father’s access to medical care, family members and lawyers. Earlier this month, they said they had received no updates because relatives, doctors and legal representatives had allegedly been unable to see him for months.
The latest health concerns emerged as supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party held demonstrations across the country demanding his release and that of his wife, Bushra Bibi.
Khan has remained in prison since 2023 after convictions in several cases, including corruption allegations and a case involving the alleged disclosure of official secrets.
Khan and his political allies have consistently denied wrongdoing and described the legal cases as politically motivated efforts to prevent his return to politics.
He served as prime minister from 2018 until his government was removed through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022. Since then, his imprisonment and legal battles have remained at the centre of Pakistan’s political crisis.
