Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram on Tuesday categorically rejected reports circulating about Dr Yasmin Rashid’s health, stating she is alive and in Kot Lakhpat Jail. Dr Yasmin, a 74-year-old gynaecologist and cancer survivor, has been in custody since May 12, 2023, facing multiple charges related to riots following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
False Rumors Dismissed
“Dr Yasmin is, Alhamdulillah, alive and is in Kot Lakhpat Jail, sacrificing imprisonment and hardship for the sake of her leader Imran Khan's ideology,” Akram wrote in a post on X. He urged the public not to believe rumors, asserting that all news being spread about her is false and baseless.
Dr Yasmin’s health has repeatedly faltered, with hospitalizations in May and July 2024, and again in 2025 when she suffered severe abdominal pain and breathing difficulties.
Lawyer’s Clarification
Dr Yasmin also issued a statement through her lawyer, Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, to clarify reports about a will. Umar said in a video statement that he, along with PTI leadership, met her in Kot Lakhpat Jail during the hearing after a week. “Dr Yasmin told me that she is fine and has not signed any kind of will; however, she thanked the community and all the people who prayed for her,” he added.
According to Umar, Dr Yasmin was advised to undergo spinal surgery. He said her lawyer had approached the courts seeking permission and relief for her medical condition, but no conclusive response or urgent action had been taken so far. Umar stated she is being treated for cancer and suffers from a respiratory disease, and spine surgery has been recommended. “We requested the court for that. The court has ordered that her treatment should be done immediately. But due to some risk, there could be no permanent treatment,” Umar said.
He further quoted Dr Yasmin’s message that she is serving her sentence for the rule of law, for the betterment of future generations, and for the citizens of Pakistan.
PTI Lawyer Confirms
PTI lawyer Taimur Malik also rejected social media posts about the well-being of Dr Yasmin and senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, calling them fake and misleading. In a statement, Malik confirmed both leaders are fine and in Kot Lakhpat Jail. “This has been confirmed by Mudassar Umer with the jail authorities as well,” Malik said.
He noted that the jail trial scheduled for Tuesday had been postponed, meaning the legal team could not meet them in person that day. However, Malik acknowledged that Dr Yasmin and Ejaz Chaudhry face serious and worsening medical conditions, and the court and jail authorities are aware of the situation.
