ISLAMABAD: Family sources close to former Chief of Army Staff General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa have strongly refuted widespread social media claims that he slipped and fell at his residence, insisting instead that he lost consciousness due to a sudden electrical disturbance in his heart leading to a cardiac event on the evening of February 9, 2026. The clarification aims to counter misinformation that proliferated rapidly after initial reports of his hospitalisation surfaced late Monday night.
According to detailed accounts provided by family insiders speaking to The News, General Bajwa first experienced mild discomfort during the evening hours but decided to proceed with his routine walk and light exercise. Upon returning home he began feeling nauseous, prompting a visit to the washroom where he vomited before suddenly collapsing unconscious. Witnesses immediately noticed blood emerging from both ears, a symptom that raised immediate alarm among family members present at the residence.
Within approximately fifteen minutes of the incident emergency protocols were activated and the retired four-star general was swiftly transported to the Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi where a specialised cardiac and trauma team assumed responsibility for his care. Initial clinical assessments reportedly identified three fine fractures in the skull resulting from the fall during unconsciousness, although medical personnel confirmed no intracranial haemorrhage or life-threatening blood clots had formed inside the brain.
The Inter-Services Public Relations directorate issued its first official statement confirming that the former army chief had been admitted to CMH Rawalpindi following an injury sustained after falling at his home. The military’s media wing deliberately used neutral language avoiding any reference to the precise medical cause, a standard practice when high-profile personalities receive treatment in military facilities to preserve patient privacy and prevent speculation.
Family representatives emphasised that numerous unverified narratives circulated on digital platforms including fabricated details about domestic accidents domestic disputes or even deliberate harm had caused unnecessary distress. They appealed directly to the public and media outlets to exercise restraint honour medical confidentiality norms and refrain from amplifying rumours that lack foundation in verified clinical information.
Medical literature indicates that sudden cardiac syncope particularly when triggered by arrhythmia or transient heart block can produce exactly the sequence described including loss of postural tone collapse secondary head injury and occasionally blood from the ears if temporal bone micro-fractures occur during impact. Such presentations while serious frequently carry favourable prognosis when prompt advanced care intervenes as happened in this instance.
The former army chief who led the Pakistan Army between November 2016 and November 2022 remains under active observation and multidisciplinary treatment at the premier military hospital. Sources familiar with his condition suggest the immediate danger phase has passed and physicians are now focusing on stabilising cardiac rhythm preventing secondary complications and promoting recovery from the minor cranial fractures.
Public interest in General Bajwa’s health reflects both his stature as one of the most consequential military leaders of recent decades and the intense polarisation that marked the final years of his tenure including debates over foreign policy electoral transitions and civil-military equilibrium. The episode has once again highlighted how swiftly health-related news concerning prominent figures can morph into fertile ground for conspiracy theories across Pakistan’s vibrant yet often unregulated digital landscape.
Military hospitals maintain strict information discipline especially concerning former service chiefs which explains the measured tone adopted by ISPR compared with the more granular albeit unofficial briefing offered by family channels. This dual flow of information underscores an ongoing tension between institutional opacity and public demand for transparency whenever national icons face medical crises.
As General Bajwa continues receiving care medical professionals are expected to conduct comprehensive cardiac evaluations including electrophysiological studies to pinpoint the exact nature of the electrical malfunction that precipitated the blackout. Recovery trajectory will largely depend on successful management of the underlying heart condition alongside healing of the skeletal injuries sustained during the fall.
The incident serves as a sobering reminder of the physical toll exacted by decades of high-stress command responsibilities in one of the world’s most challenging security environments. Regardless of political perspectives most observers express hope for the retired general’s full convalescence while respecting the boundary between legitimate concern and unwarranted intrusion into private medical matters.
Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1314567-gen-bajwa-did-not-slip-but-fainted-due-to-heart-issue-family-sources