Pakistan PM extends condolences for 118 lives lost in 6.2-magnitude earthquake in China

Residents keep warm by a fire next to damaged buildings at Dahejia town following the earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, China December 19, 2023. (CNS Photo via REUTERS)
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Updated 19 December 2023
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Pakistan PM extends condolences for 118 lives lost in 6.2-magnitude earthquake in China

  • The quake destroyed roads and infrastructure in the Chinese province of Gansu located in the country’s north
  • China and Pakistan are situated in seismically active regions and have witnessed massive quakes in the past

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday expressed sorrow over the loss of life in a remote mountainous region of China which was rocked by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake at night, killing 118 people and injuring many more.
The quake that destroyed roads and infrastructure after it the northern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, prompting the Chinese authorities to swiftly mobilize emergency response.
China and Pakistan are both part of seismically active regions and have witnessed massive earthquakes leading to significant devastation in the past.
“Deeply saddened to learn about the loss of precious lives due to the earthquake in Gansu province in China,” the prime minister wrote in a social media post on X. “Our sympathies are with our Chinese brothers and sisters in this hour of grief.”

Pakistan and China are strategic allies and have carried out several joint defense and infrastructure development projects in recent decades.
The two countries are jointly implementing a multibillion-dollar regional connectivity plan that is said to change the economic geography of the whole neighborhood and closely integrate their economies.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is part of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2013, to improve land-based routes and join them with sea-lanes for enhanced trade
China’s deadliest quake in recent decades was in 2008 when a magnitude-8.0 quake struck Sichuan, killing nearly 70,000 people.
This happened only three years after a Pakistan’s northern region was jolted in 2005 in which over 87,000 people lost their lives.


Government says Imran Khan’s ‘detailed’ medical report shared, family disputes claim

Updated 06 February 2026
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Government says Imran Khan’s ‘detailed’ medical report shared, family disputes claim

  • Khan underwent an eye procedure last month, PTI says family was not informed
  • Ex-PM’s sister says only brief notes provided despite Supreme Court assurance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government said on Friday a “detailed” medical report of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan had been shared with his family following directions from the prime minister’s office, even as Khan’s relatives disputed the claim and accused jail authorities of withholding information.

Concerns over Khan’s health were raised by his family and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party last month after the government confirmed he was taken from prison to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a brief eye procedure. Authorities said at the time that Khan’s condition was stable and the treatment routine, while PTI leaders said they were not informed in advance and questioned the lack of transparent medical disclosure.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the report was prepared by PIMS and had been forwarded to the prison authorities and handed over to Khan’s family.

“A letter was written by the Leader of the Opposition to the Prime Minister and PTI Leaders also approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding medical check up of Mr. Imran Ahmad [Khan] Niazi who is serving his sentences in Central Jail Rawalpindi (Adiala),” he said in a social media post on X.

“On directions from Prime Minister’s Office, a detailed report has been sent by Executive Director PIMS Hospital to the Superintendent of Central Jail Rawalpindi (Adiala) which has been handed over to the family,” he added.

 

However, the former prime minister’s sister Aleema Khan said they had not received complete medical reports, despite assurances given by the country’s top judge.

“The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court committed last Friday that Imran Khan’s medical reports would be provided to his family,” she said on X. “Today, when the jail superintendent appeared before the ATC [Anti-Terrorism Court], only two brief notes were submitted.”

She said the government’s conduct reflected a disregard for the court’s order, urging the Chief Justice of Pakistan to issue a contempt notice to the jail authorities and ensure that Khan’s medical reports were handed over to his family without further delay.

The dispute has renewed tensions surrounding Khan’s incarceration, which has become a flashpoint in Pakistan’s deeply polarized politics. 

Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, has been in prison since August 2023 following multiple convictions that he and his party say are politically motivated, a charge the government denies.