At present, there are several stories circulating in the national and international media regarding Mr. Khan’s health.
Is Imran Khan Really Unwell? This is what many Pakistanis may be looking about. In fact, Mr. Khan is quiet popular across the length and breadth of Pakistan. Yet, there are assumptions, fake news, made up stories and everything. The actual information is difficult to get as there is limited access to Mr. Khan. His party has already announced protests from September 27. It becomes more concerning when we hear some made up story or click bait from a journalist. On August 10, journalist Wajahat S. Khan claimed that Imran Khan is no longer with us. However, official sources has already rebutted the claim.
Until 2024, he was being given routine checkups weekly and at that time the only concerning medical issues was the fluctuating blood pressure level and having no access to his personal medical team. In late 2025 and early 2026 Imran Khan reported that he started having blurry vision in his right eye. In October he was given eye drops as a treatment for his eye issue but by the start of the new year 2026 his symptoms got worse and he got an eye blockage diagnosed called Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO) with a condition that impairs vision due to a blockage in the vein draining blood from the retina.
After this diagnosis Imran Khan was shifted under security protocols from Adiala Jail to the government medical facility Centre Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad for scheduled intravitreal anti-VEGF injections aimed at preserving eye health. After the injections and doses, the state medical boards and government officials stated that pre-procedure cardiac evaluations (ECGs, echocardiography) and routine vital checks were normal, declaring his overall condition stable after day-care procedures.
Why was he jailed?
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested and imprisoned after multiple legal cases came after his removal from office in April 2022. He had over 100 charges and number of accusations for corruption. These cases and charges led him to jail.
The Toshakhana case (the state gifts) is one of the leading cases because in Pakistani law foreign gifts received should be declared and if someone wants to keep them they should pay an assessed percentage of their market value to the government. Imran Khan was accused of misusing his authority by purchasing state gifts at heavily reduced values and selling them for undeclared profits and there was another allegation that he failed to properly report them on asset declarations.
Another major case was the Cipher case in which he is accused of leaking or misusing a sensitive diplomatic cable from Washington. Then comes the Al-Qadir case which is also filed which says that financial arrangements and land transfers were being made regarding Al-Qadir University Trust, claiming real estate benefits given in exchange for unfreezing state funds. Because of all these ongoing cases and allegations, Imran Khan was taken into custody from the Islamabad High Court premises on May 9, 2023.
After this arrest, the roads were being blocked and PTI supporters did protests which resulted in his bail. On May 12, he was given bail because the court declared the arrest was unlawful. But not after so long on August 5, 2023 he was again taken into custody for the Toshakhana and cipher cases and he was sentenced a three year jail for Toshakhana case and ten year jail for cipher case.
Familiar Historical Patterns in Pakistani Politics
We have seen in the past that many political leaders were suffering with illness but they were given full compensation. If we look back in 2018, Nawaz Sharif was convicted in corruption cases like Toshakhana and was imprisoned. In late 2019, while serving his sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail, his health deteriorated suddenly with time due to an immune disorder (thrombocytopenia).
The Lahore High Court granted him bail on medical grounds and allowed him to travel to London for treatment in November 2019. He remained in London on his own free will and had no government pressure until returning to Pakistan in late 2023.
Similarly, some other politicians like Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, and General Pervez Musharraf all were given medical aid whenever they needed and could travel anywhere to get better treatment. But if we look at Imran Khan’s case we can clearly see that he is not being allowed anywhere and does not even has access to his own personal long-term doctors.
Mr. Khan’s medical care is no longer just a health issue it is a central barometer of Pakistan’s political future. His medical treatment also serves as a critical test case for state accountability, prisoner rights, and political future as any small mistake or carelessness can create a huge issue and history for Pakistan.
Imran Khan’s Health Status
While there are many speculations taking place. No one fully knows how unwell Mr. Khan is. Yet, it was clearly stated by the medical team that Mr. Khan is in good shape. Apart from specific eye health issue, he does not have any serious health issue. At present, most of the claims are more of speculation or fake news arising out of specific agendas. The official word is clearly simple: Mr. Khan is all well.
