Former Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has travelled to the UAE for medical evaluation after suffering head and back injuries in a fall at his Rawalpindi home four and a half months ago.
By Imran Malik | National Affairs Desk | Courtesy Zahid Gishkori
Former Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has traveled abroad for medical treatment, with family sources confirming that the retired general has undergone a detailed medical examination by doctors in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The development comes four and a half months after General Bajwa suffered a fall at his Rawalpindi residence during ablution, sustaining injuries to his head and back that have required prolonged medical attention and a slow recovery process.
Medical Update From Dubai
According to family sources, doctors in Dubai conducted a comprehensive medical examination of the former army chief. The initial assessment is encouraging, with sources indicating that General Bajwa’s condition is satisfactory, though results from several diagnostic tests are still awaited.
Family sources said General Bajwa will decide on returning to Pakistan after the medical evaluation is complete and doctors have provided their guidance and recommendations. He is expected to remain in the UAE for several days, staying with his son during this period.
The Fall and Four Months of Treatment
The story behind General Bajwa’s current medical situation began in early 2026 when he fell at his home in Rawalpindi while performing ablution. The fall resulted in significant injuries to his head and back, requiring immediate hospitalization.
General Bajwa subsequently spent three weeks receiving treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalpindi before being discharged for continued outpatient care. However, his recovery process has been described by sources close to the family as very slow, necessitating ongoing medical attention over the past four months before the decision was made to seek specialist evaluation in the UAE.
The trip to Dubai reflects the family’s desire to ensure the most thorough medical assessment possible for the 72-year-old retired general.
General Bajwa’s Tenure — A Legacy of Controversy and Consequence
General Qamar Javed Bajwa served as Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff from November 2016 to November 2022, one of the most consequential six-year tenures in Pakistan’s recent military history.
His tenure was marked by extraordinary political turbulence. He oversaw the Pakistan Army’s relationship with three prime ministers—Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and Imran Khan—and his role in the political developments surrounding each remains a subject of intense public and historical debate.
The relationship between General Bajwa and Imran Khan began with an apparent alignment, as Khan’s PTI government came to power in 2018 during Bajwa’s tenure. But the relationship deteriorated significantly, culminating in Khan’s removal from office through a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022, a development that Khan and his supporters have consistently attributed to the military establishment’s withdrawal of support, a charge that Bajwa denied.
In one of the most extraordinary episodes of his tenure, General Bajwa gave a rare public address at the Islamabad Security Dialogue in March 2021 in which he acknowledged that the Pakistani military had historically played a political role and stated the institution’s intent to remain within constitutional boundaries going forward, a statement that generated significant debate about its sincerity.
On the security front, Bajwa oversaw Pakistan’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, managed the delicate relationship with Afghanistan through the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, and navigated Pakistan’s complex positioning between the United States and China during one of the most turbulent periods in US-Pakistan relations.
He also oversaw the CPEC corridor’s continued development and managed Pakistan’s defense relationships with key Gulf partners, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the latter of which now serves as the country where he seeks medical treatment.
General Bajwa retired in November 2022 and was succeeded by General Syed Asim Munir, who has since been promoted to Field Marshal. Since retirement, Bajwa has maintained a deliberately low public profile, with Saturday’s medical travel representing one of the few confirmed public developments concerning the former chief in the years since he handed over command.
The Pakistani public and media have watched his post-retirement life with considerable interest, given the intensity of debate surrounding his six-year tenure and the political events of 2022 that continue to shape Pakistan’s current political landscape.
