The Pakistan government has urged CNN to distinguish between verified custodial and medical records and politically contested allegations regarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan's health. This has been shared by CNN's Connect the World host and Abu Dhabi Managing Editor Becky Anderson on X on Saturday.

The statement comes in response to a video interview of Imran's close aide Zulfi Bukhari, who made the allegations that the government violated the apex court's categorical orders. He alleged that the government violated a categorical order of the Supreme Court by taking the incarcerated former prime minister to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) instead of Shifa International Hospital for treatment. Bukhari said Imran's personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, was also not allowed to examine him during the recent medical checkup.

Anderson noted Imran's family, political party and former fellow cricketers had been "sounding the alarm" over his health in prison. She said she spoke to Bukhari about Imran's latest condition and a court case filed by his party against the Pakistani government over his hospital visit last week. The CNN host also referred to a recent interview with Sky Sports in which Imran's sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, expressed fears that their father might not come out of prison alive.

However, Anderson shared a statement obtained by CNN from PIMS regarding Imran's treatment, which said Imran was brought to the hospital in Islamabad during the intervening night of August 20 and 21, for medical examination and treatment. According to the hospital, two specialists from Shifa International Hospital participated in the ophthalmological assessment, while other examinations were conducted by relevant PIMS specialists. It said the clinical input from the ophthalmological assessment was considered alongside the findings of investigations conducted at the hospital. Keeping in view patient privacy and the directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, PIMS said it would not disclose the confidential contents of Imran's medical report.