Source of alarming reports about jailed Imran Khan's blood pressure remains unclear

• Lawyer distances himself from claims about Imran Khan’s health.
• Rubina Khan claims Imran Khan’s blood pressure rose to 192.
• Sources say Imran Khan appeared generally fit during jail meeting.

ISLAMABAD: The source of alarming claims about Imran Khan’s health, circulated by his sister Rubina Khan and son Kasim Khan on social media, remains unclear, particularly after the former prime minister’s lawyer Salman Safdar distanced himself from being the source of the information.

Rubina Khan, in a statement shared on social media by Kasim Khan, claimed that her brother had conveyed a message that his blood pressure had suddenly risen to 192, alleging that his life was under threat in jail.

She demanded that Imran Khan be immediately admitted to an independent medical institution in the presence of his personal doctor.

Kasim Khan also linked the reported spike in blood pressure to his father’s prolonged isolation, warning that he could die in his prison cell if not released.

The statements triggered considerable concern over the former prime minister’s health, particularly as they came a few days after his lawyer, Salman Safdar, met him in Adiala Jail on November 2.

However, when approached about the reports, Safdar said he was not the source of what was being said about Imran Khan’s health. Describing himself as a professional lawyer, he said his role was restricted to legal responsibilities and that he was not a messenger for anyone.

After his meeting, Safdar had disclosed that the jail authorities facilitated a 40-minute meeting with Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Imran, at 4:30pm on November 2. He said he had met Imran Khan after seven months and Bushra Bibi after 11 months, following repeated applications and requests.

In a post on X, he said the meeting was insufficient to cover all the pending cases and legal matters. Both had briefed him about their health and living conditions and given fresh instructions regarding certain legal matters.

Meanwhile, sources familiar with the circumstances surrounding the meeting have offered a somewhat different account of Imran Khan’s health. According to these sources, the former prime minister did mention that his blood pressure had once risen to around 190. However, they described him as otherwise generally fit and did not indicate any immediate serious medical emergency.

The sources said Imran Khan was, however, particularly concerned over the health of his wife, Bushra Bibi, who reportedly has an eye-related problem.

This has raised questions about how the reported blood pressure reading of 192 and the alarming assessment of his health reached his sister and son, and whether these claims were based on a separate communication from the former prime minister or information conveyed through another channel.

Neither Rubina Khan nor Kasim Khan has publicly identified the person who conveyed the reported health update to them.

The discrepancy between the family’s alarming social media statements and the account shared by other sources has added to the uncertainty surrounding the former prime minister’s health.

Originally published in The News