AI check found a distorted shadow on the guard’s uniform and blurred name tags, signs of possible AI-generated images
The viral image showing Imran Khan being taken away in a wheelchair by police in Pims is fake. PHOTO: SCREEN GRIP
Several users, a majority of whom appear to be PTI supporters, have shared a photo on social media platforms TikTok and X since June 7, 2026, purportedly showing jailed PTI founder Imran Khan being transported in a wheelchair by law enforcement personnel at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). However, the image is AI-generated.
Imran has remained incarcerated in the Adiala Jail while facing several trials. In early 2026, concerns about his health intensified after his legal team reported that he had developed central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), resulting in significant vision loss in his right eye.
The former prime minister was subsequently taken to Pims in Islamabad for an eye examination and follow-up treatment under government supervision. The hospital later stated that he was clinically stable. At the same time, PTI leaders and Imran’s legal team continued to demand treatment at a hospital of his choice and access to his personal doctors, keeping public attention focused on his health. He has since been regularly taken to Pims for procedures.
How it started
On June 7, Arif Ahmadzai, former Minister of Mines and Minerals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to his X biography, shared a photo on TikTok purportedly showing Imran being transported in a wheelchair by law enforcement personnel in Pims.
The post received approximately 189,000 views.
A pro-PTI account on X, based on its profile picture and previous posts, shared the same photo on the same day with the following caption: “Can someone please tell me if this photo is original or made by AI? Please tell me in the comments.”
The post received 37,200 views.
The same image was subsequently shared by several other pro-PTI accounts on X and TikTok, as seen here, here, here, here, here and here; together achieved 38,000 views.
Methodology
A fact-check was launched to establish the veracity of the claim due to great public interest in Imran’s health.
A keyword search to confirm whether other credible Pakistani or international media outlets had recently reported Imran’s Pim’s visit or ran the photo did not return any results.
Examining the image for visual discrepancies revealed a distorted shadow or object on the uniform of the security personnel pushing the wheelchair.
Also, the name tags on the security personnel’s uniforms are blurred, a common indicator in images generated using AI.
In addition, several faces in the background have blurred edges, with prominent facial structures not clearly visible.
When contacted, an Islamabad resident who recently visited Pims confirmed to the iVerify Pakistan team that the boards inside the hospital are red and white, not blue. The same was also confirmed by images available online showing the interior of the facility.
The image was subsequently analyzed using several AI detection tools. TruthScan marked the image as 84 percent AI-generated.
AI or Not labeled it as having a 76 pc probability of being AI generated.
Sightengine, another detection tool, flagged it as a 99pc AI-generated image.
Fact check status: false
The claim that a viral photo shows Imran Khan being taken away in a wheelchair by law enforcement officers in Pims is false.
The image is AI-generated.
This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan — a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.
