Imran Khan’s medical care under scrutiny
In a statement on Sunday, PTI central secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram said authorities had failed to provide the 73-year-old Khan with the medically recommended diagnostic test despite a functional CT scanner being available at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Dawn reported. Akram said a government medical board examined Khan on August 10 after he complained of heart palpitations and severe headaches. He said a cardiologist at PIMS had recommended a CTA on August 1 after Khan experienced fluctuating blood pressure and restlessness, citing potential cardiac complications given his age and prolonged isolation.
“This cannot be dismissed as an isolated administrative lapse; it reflects a deeply troubling pattern,” Akram said. “When the necessary facilities were available at Shifa International, deliberately taking Khan to a hospital unable or unwilling to perform the procedure raises a grave question: was the decision made in advance to prevent the CT Coronary Angiography from being conducted?” he asked. “Even the government’s own doctors considered this diagnostic test necessary,” Akram added. Commenting on the Prime Minister’s decision to constitute an inquiry committee following reports that Imran Khan’s CTA was not conducted, Akram said the move raised “serious questions as to why the medically recommended test was not conducted in the first instance. “Imran Khan’s heart health cannot be subjected to political calculations, administrative excuses or further delay,” Akram said.
Akram also cited a Supreme Court order directing Khan to undergo a comprehensive medical examination and treatment at Shifa International Hospital. He alleged that authorities had bypassed the directive and instead transferred Khan to a facility where the CT angiography was not conducted. Why coordination between the cardiology and radiology departments had failed, and why Imran Khan was not taken to Shifa International despite the availability of the required facilities there”. “Political victimisation must never be permitted to endanger a human life through the denial or postponement of essential medical care. The decision to take him to a facility where the required test was not conducted, despite the availability of the necessary facilities at Shifa International, has created serious concerns that the procedure was intentionally prevented,” he alleged.
Taking note of the reports, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday formed an inquiry committee, headed by the Establishment Division secretary, to establish the facts and determine responsibility.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Monday criticised what it called the “continued failure” of authorities at a state-run hospital, alleging that a CT Coronary Angiography (CTA) scheduled for Khan was not conducted despite cardiologists warning of potential cardiac complications.
Meanwhile, former India captains Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar are among 21 former international cricket captains who have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging authorities to ensure proper medical treatment and the welfare of Imran Khan. The letter, initiated by former Australia captain Greg Chappell, marks the second appeal by former international cricketers calling for humane treatment and adequate medical care for the 73-year-old Khan. Khan was arrested on August 5, 2023, in connection with a corruption case and has remained in custody since then.
“The government and all relevant authorities will bear full responsibility for any further deterioration in his condition,” Akram added. He is currently lodged in Adiala Jail, a detention facility on the outskirts of Rawalpindi. Khan’s relatives and supporters have repeatedly alleged human rights violations and accused authorities of restricting his access to adequate medical care, family visits and legal counsel. Poll Do you think the inquiry committee established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead to accountability? Download the TOI app.
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