Claim: Viral video shows Imran Khan during his recent visit to PIMS.
Fact: The clip likely shows Khan appearing before the Lahore High Court (LHC) for interim protective bail in February 2023.
On 24 February, X account @Theunk5555 shared a video of Imran Khan being escorted by a group of people. The video was captioned: “Pakistani Hospital: A video of Imran Khan has gone viral.”
X user @SHaiderRMehdi shared screenshots of the same clip on 25 February, writing:,
“۳۱ سیکنڈ پر
@ImranKhanPTI
کی ایک جھلک، بظاہر اسپتال میں۔
اللہ سبحانہ و تعالیٰ انہیں شفائے کاملہ عطا فرمائے اور پاکستان کی قیادت کے لیے آزادی نصیب فرمائے۔ الحمدللہ۔ الٰہی آمین۔
[Translation: At 31 seconds.
A glimpse of @ImranKhanPTI apparently in the hospital.
May Allah SWT grant him Shifa Kamila, freedom to lead Pakistan. Alhamdulillah. Ilahi Aameen”]
Imran Khan’s visit to PIMS
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on 24 January for an eye-related procedure and returned early the next day. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar confirmed that Khan was shifted to PIMS after eye specialists examined him at Adiala Jail and recommended further assessment and treatment.
The hospital visit was conducted under tight security, with operation theatres and anaesthesia rooms cordoned off. According to Tarar, PIMS doctors conducted a thorough examination and performed a minor procedure lasting around 20 minutes with Khan’s written consent. In a video message released on 30 January, the hospital’s executive director, Dr Rana Imran Sikandar, said a team of senior doctors had assessed Khan’s condition before discharging him, explaining that increased pressure in the vessels of his right eye had temporarily affected his vision.
Concerns about Khan’s vision have intensified in the weeks following his January hospital visit. In February, lawyers appearing before Pakistan’s Supreme Court said that Khan had suffered significant vision loss in his right eye prompting the court to order a detailed medical assessment. A medical board subsequently examined him at Adiala Jail, after which government‑appointed doctors reported some improvement in his eyesight, though Khan’s personal physician has stated he cannot verify those findings due to lack of access to the imprisoned former leader.
Khan’s family said it had “no trust” in the authorities. His sons have said they sought visas last month to visit him but are yet to receive a response. Aleema Khan, described it as “extremely concerning and unacceptable” that the government had resisted allowing Khan’s personal doctor and a family representative to be present during the examination and treatment.
On 24 February, Khan was transferred to PIMS for a scheduled follow-up visit linked to treatment of his right eye. According to a doctor at the hospital, the PTI founder was brought to the hospital for a second dose of anti-VEGF intravitreal injection. During his visit, the doctors also examined his heart condition. Khan was shifted back to prison after spending nearly an hour at the hospital. The jailed PTI founder is reportedly expected to receive his third injection on 23 March.
Meanwhile, supporters and international figures, including former cricket captains like Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja, and Kapil Dev have called on authorities to provide Khan with better medical care, and urged for transparency regarding his treatment.
A similar claim went viral earlier this month purporting to show Khan during his first visit to PIMS. However, Soch Fact Check found that the video was old and unrelated to his visit. The claim being fact-checked appears to have circulated following his most recent hospital visit.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check doubted the authenticity of the viral video as several users replying to the X post pointed out that the clip was unrelated and dated back to Khan’s 2023 appearance at the Lahore High Court. Though a reverse-search of the video’s keyframes did not lead to the exact original footage, we found similar visuals shared by ARY News on 20 February 2023. The coverage was uploaded to YouTube with the title, “Khawar Ghumman’s analysis on Imran Khan’s protective bail plea.”
The ARY News broadcast reported that Imran Khan appeared before the Lahore High Court on 20 February 2023, and included scenes from the court premises. Journalist Khawar Ghumman provided analysis of Khan’s court appearance.
A side-by-side comparison of ARY News’ visuals and those in the viral clip show notable similarities including the location and Khan’s attire. It appears that the viral clip was filmed inside the court premises, while ARY’s footage shows the exterior of the court. This indicates that both videos were likely filmed during the same instance.
Comparison of visuals from the viral clip against ARY News’ footage
We also found additional footage published by Indian news outlet The Tribune, on 20 February 2023, titled, “Former Pak PM Imran Khan appears before court amid high drama, gets protective bail in one case.” Although this video does not contain the exact frames as the viral clip, several visuals seem to show similar premises of the LHC and its exterior. This further suggests that the viral video originates from Khan’s February 2023 court appearance.
Comparison of visuals from the viral clip against the The Tribune’s footage
Soch Fact Check also looked into multiple news reports on Khan’s appearance at the LHC from 20 February 2023. They detailed that he had appeared before the court in connection with cases related to PTI protesters alleged rioting, sparked by his disqualification by the Election Commission in the Toshakhana reference. After multiple adjournments and procedural exchanges regarding his appearance, a two-member bench granted him ad-interim protective bail until 3 March 2023, allowing him to approach the relevant trial court. In a separate case concerning protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan, Khan withdrew his petition for protective bail, and the court subsequently disposed of the plea.
While the articles featured similar visuals, none included the viral clip itself. The details reported align with the context and captions provided in ARY News’ and The Tribune’s footage. Therefore, we conclude that the video predates Imran Khan’s recent visit to PIMS.
Virality
The claim was shared here, here, here, here, here, and here on Facebook. Archived here, here, here, here, here, and here.
On X, it was shared here (archive) and here (archive).
On Instagram, it was shared here (archive).
Conclusion: The viral clip is likely from Imran Khan’s February 2023 appearance at Lahore High Court. It is unrelated to his recent PIMS visit.
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