PROVINCE REPORT
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has expressed grave concern over the official medical report regarding the health of Imran Khan, saying that the reported condition has caused deep concern across the country. He said that Imran Khan’s personal doctors, family, legal team and the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would consult among themselves and determine a clear course of action in light of the situation. Addressing an important press conference in Islamabad alongside senior party leaders, the Chief Minister said that whenever Imran Khan’s personal physicians, Dr Asim and Dr Faisal, had accompanied him and checked his blood pressure, it had consistently been within the normal range. He said the reporting of elevated blood pressure in the official medical report was therefore a matter of serious concern, particularly given the previous assessments conducted by his personal doctors. He said that neither Imran Khan’s family members, lawyers nor personal physicians had been allowed to meet him since 2nd December 2025. “In these circumstances, the emergence of an official medical report raises serious questions about his actual health condition,” he said, adding that the lack of direct access had heightened public concern. Sohail Afridi said that Imran Khan is a sportsman who has maintained a physically active lifestyle and had not previously faced an issue of this nature. He said that when Imran Khan was illegally taken into custody, he was in excellent physical condition, whereas the health concerns now being reported had emerged during his incarceration. The Chief Minister held the incumbent authorities and those responsible for Imran Khan’s illegal detention accountable for the present situation, saying that responsibility could not be evaded for developments affecting his health while in prison. He expressed disappointment that, despite repeated calls for attention to Imran Khan’s health, the judiciary had not taken effective notice of the matter. “For 250 million people, the judiciary remains the last avenue of hope. If a former Prime Minister, the leader of the country’s largest political party and its most popular political leader cannot receive justice, what confidence can an ordinary citizen place in the justice system?” he asked. Sohail Afridi said that since the emergence of the issue concerning Imran Khan’s eye, the demand from the party had remained straightforward, lawful and reasonable: his family members and lawyers should be allowed to meet him; his personal physicians should be granted access; and, in the presence of his family, he should receive treatment at the best available hospital under the supervision of his personal doctors. “Imran Khan’s health is a genuine and serious concern. He is not manufacturing a medical condition to seek relief from imprisonment, nor is there any question of fabricating medical reports to secure permission to travel abroad,” the Chief Minister said. He maintained that the incumbent government, failure of the justice system to provide justice, and those responsible for Imran Khan’s illegal detention could not absolve themselves of responsibility. “The people will hold them accountable and they will have to answer,” he said. Sohail Afridi said that it was unacceptable for any political party, its leader, or the country’s largest political party to be treated as a second-class citizen. “We cannot remain silent spectators to this situation,” he added. The Chief Minister said that continued denial of justice would further erode public confidence in state institutions. He said that the people expected justice and accountability from all institutions, including the judiciary, and that their concerns could not be ignored. Referring to the proceedings in Imran Khan’s case, the Chief Minister said that the matter is scheduled to come before a three-member bench tomorrow. He stressed that the party is not seeking any extraordinary relief from the judiciary, but only justice in accordance with the law. “Providing justice is the fundamental responsibility of the judiciary. The people are looking towards the courts,” he said. The Chief Minister noted that Tuesday is also the designated day for meetings between Imran Khan and his lawyers and family members. He appealed to the judiciary to ensure that these meetings take place without obstruction. He said that, despite the official medical report, the public still had no independent understanding of what had happened to Imran Khan inside prison or of his actual health condition. He maintained that his family was best placed to provide the public with a credible account of his health following direct access to him. The Chief Minister reiterated his demands for the restoration of meetings between Imran Khan and his lawyers and family members, access for his personal physicians, and treatment at the best available hospital under the supervision of his personal doctors and in the presence of his family. Sohail Afridi appealed to the judiciary to ensure that these legitimate requests concerning Imran Khan’s medical treatment and access to his family and legal team are duly addressed.
