Establishment denies warning Imran over drug use

A senior member of the military establishment during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has

A senior member of the military establishment during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has rejected claims that the establishment had warned then-prime minister Imran Khan about alleged use of prohibited drugs or advised him to stay away from narcotics.

The clarification comes as an old talk-show video has resurfaced on social media. In the clip, a former member of Imran Khan’s cabinet can be heard claiming that the military establishment at the time was aware of the former premier’s alleged drug use and had advised him to avoid narcotics.

When contacted about the claim, the senior establishment official said no such warning had been issued to Imran Khan during the PTI government.

The official also said there was neither evidence nor any report available to the establishment confirming that Imran Khan was using drugs.

According to the official, the allegations were largely a matter of speculation within political and media circles. However, the establishment had no verified information supporting the claims.

The issue had previously surfaced publicly in 2023. Then-federal minister Abdul Qadir Patel claimed that a medical examination conducted after Imran Khan’s arrest had detected traces of alcohol and cocaine in his samples.

Patel made the allegations during a press conference on May 26, 2023. He claimed that the medical examination had found what he described as “toxic chemicals”, including alcohol and cocaine. He also questioned Imran Khan’s mental health and stability.

However, medical reports available with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) did not support the minister’s allegations, according to a report published by The News in June 2023.

A knowledgeable NAB source had told the publication at the time that Imran Khan’s blood and urine reports showed no indication of alcohol or cocaine use. The source said the reports instead reflected normal health indicators and did not substantiate the claims made by the then health minister.

Independent medical experts also challenged Patel’s allegations. Doctors who examined the medical material reportedly said there was no evidence in the report supporting claims of drug use or mental instability.

The controversy later led Imran Khan to issue a legal defamation notice to Abdul Qadir Patel. In the notice, Khan accused the former minister of spreading false, misleading, malicious and defamatory information about his medical condition.