Personal physician of Pakistan’s Imran Khan gives ‘okay’ report after examination allowed — party

Police personnel stand guard near a signboard reading 'police check post Adiala' at the entrance of Adiala jail after the hearing of Pakistan's jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Rawalpindi on January 31, 2024. (AFP/File)
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Updated 04 November 2024
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Personal physician of Pakistan’s Imran Khan gives ‘okay’ report after examination allowed — party

  • Dr. Asim Yousaf examines ex-prime minister’s health with a team of doctors from PIMS Hospital
  • Khan has been in jail since August last year and faces more than 200 legal cases since his ouster

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s personal physician has given a positive assessment of his health after all his reports turned out to be “okay,” Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said on Monday.
Dr. Asim Yousaf, the ex-premier’s personal physician, along with a team of doctors from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) was allowed to examine Khan’s health, following weeks of claims made by the PTI regarding “mistreatment” being meted out to the ex-premier, who has been in jail since August last year.
The party claims also prompted Khan’s ex-wife, Jemima Goldsmith, to express concerns about his condition. Consequently, a team of doctors was allowed to visit Khan in jail who found him in good health.
“The personal physician of Imran Khan, Dr. Asim Yousaf was allowed in, to examine the former PM, along with another team of doctors from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital Islamabad, with an okay report on his physical health,” the PTI said in a statement.
The former premier had petitioned the Islamabad High Court in October to grant permission for regular medical examination by his personal physicians.
Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, has been entangled in more than 200 legal cases since he was ousted, in what he says is a campaign to keep him from returning to power. Pakistani authorities deny the allegation.
In April, the former cricket star and his wife had their 14-year prison sentences for graft suspended by a high court.
Khan then had a 10-year sentence for treason overturned last month but remains in Adiala jail, south of the capital Islamabad, over an illegal marriage conviction.
He had been cleared for release before that trio of sentences in the days running up to Pakistan’s February 8 general elections.


Pakistan vows to play active role against climate change on International Day of Clean Energy 

Updated 26 January 2026
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Pakistan vows to play active role against climate change on International Day of Clean Energy 

  • Governments, civil societies every year mark Jan. 26 as International Day of Clean Energy, calling for inclusive transition to clean power
  • Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change, suffering from erratic weather patterns such as floods, heatwaves, storms

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will play an active role in global efforts against climate change, President Asif Ali Zardari vowed on Monday as the world marks International Day of Clean Energy today. 

The International Day of Clean Energy is marked every year on Jan. 26 during which governments and civil societies around the world call for awareness on climate change impacts and demand action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of the people.

Burdened by an energy crisis that has resulted in costly fuel imports over the past couple of years, Pakistan has sought to shift to clean energy to place less burden on its fragile economy. The South Asian country has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing solar markets, with 12 gigawatts (GWs) of off-grid and over 6GWs of net-metered solar capacity by the end of 2025. In the last fiscal year, renewables accounted for a historic 53 percent of total electricity generation, according to the prime minister’s coordinator on climate change, Romina Khurshid Alam. 

“Pakistan will play an active role in global efforts against climate change,” Zardari was quoted in a statement released by his office. “Investment in safe technologies is essential for the protection of the planet.”
Zardari stressed that clean energy is essential for inclusive development, noting that Pakistan has made the transition toward it a “national priority.”

He said clean energy occupies a central place in the government’s policy framework, adding that Pakistan has set a target of electric vehicles comprising 30 percent of all passenger vehicles and heavy-duty truck sales by 2030. 

The Pakistani president cited air pollution as a major challenge to public health in the country, noting its social and economic costs for the government and the people. 

“Pakistan is committed to building a reliable and sustainable energy system,” he said. 

Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns that have led to frequent heatwaves, untimely rains, storms, cyclones, floods and droughts in recent years. 

In 2022, monsoon floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced another 33 million and caused over $30 billion losses. Over 1,000 people were killed in floods last year as well due to torrential monsoon rains and floods triggered by climate change impacts and excess water released by Indian dams.