Web Desk: A medical report submitted to Pakistan’s Supreme Court on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s health has documented fluctuations in his blood pressure, episodes of anxiety and recommendations for greater physical activity and family interaction while he remains in Adiala Jail.
The report, submitted by the superintendent of Adiala Jail, says Khan receives regular medical assessments from government doctors and specialists. It also records recommendations from a medical board aimed at reducing his mental stress and controlling elevated blood pressure.
The findings are likely to draw fresh scrutiny as the Supreme Court prepares to hear a case concerning Khan’s health and access to family members.
According to the report, Khan complained of fluctuating blood pressure, headaches, restlessness, a rapid heartbeat and significant mental stress on Aug. 1.
Professor Dr. Akhtar Ali Bandeshah, a consultant cardiologist at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, examined him and recorded a blood pressure reading of 140/100 millimetres of mercury.
That compared with a reading of 120/80 recorded during the cardiologist’s examination of Khan in February, according to the report.
The cardiologist recommended steps to reduce Khan’s stress and advised a CT coronary angiography for a more detailed assessment of his heart.
He also recommended increasing Khan’s blood-pressure medication to one 5-milligram Norvasc tablet each morning.
Separately, a four-member government medical board recommended measures intended to reduce anxiety and improve Khan’s overall wellbeing.
The recommendations included allowing him a daily one-hour walk, access to books, newspapers and television, and longer or more frequent meetings with family members.
The recommendations do not, by themselves, establish that Khan is being held in solitary confinement. However, they indicate that doctors considered greater physical activity, access to reading and entertainment material, and increased family interaction appropriate measures for managing his reported anxiety and stress.
Recent reporting on the August medical assessment said the board recorded anxiety and recommended walks, relaxation activities and additional family interaction.
The jail superintendent’s report says Khan undergoes routine medical checks and has been examined by multiple government doctors and specialists.
According to the submission, specialists have conducted 39 medical examinations of the former prime minister.
The report also says Khan received treatment from an eye specialist and that vision in one eye has improved to near-normal levels following treatment.
Jail authorities have maintained that his health is being monitored regularly, with medical staff keeping records of his examinations and vital signs.
The report also addresses Khan’s contact with his wife.
According to the jail authorities, Khan and his wife have met every Tuesday in accordance with prison rules, with 84 meetings recorded so far.
The figures come as questions over Khan’s access to family members have become a recurring point of political and legal contention.
His supporters have repeatedly raised concerns about his detention conditions and access to visitors, while authorities have maintained that his treatment and meetings are governed by prison rules and court directions.
A three-member Supreme Court bench is due to hear the matter concerning Khan’s health and meetings on Tuesday.
The court proceedings could bring greater scrutiny to the medical findings, the conditions under which Khan receives treatment and the arrangements governing his contact with family members.
For now, the medical record presents a mixed picture: jail authorities say Khan receives regular examinations and specialist care, while the medical recommendations show doctors have identified elevated blood pressure and psychological stress requiring specific interventions.
The court’s consideration of the report is therefore expected to focus not only on Khan’s current medical condition but also on whether the facilities and access recommended by doctors are being adequately provided.
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