Imran Khan's health condition stable

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who suffered injuries during a fall at an election rally, is in stable condition and has been advised bed rest, doctors attending him said today.

60-year-old Khan sustained injuries to the head and back after he and three bodyguards tumbled from a forklift that was hoisting them to a makeshift stage yesterday.

Khan was rushed to his Shaukat Khanum Hospital, where doctors admitted him to the intensive care unit so that he could be monitored round the clock.

Dr Faisal Sultan, who is attending Khan, said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief is in stable condition and is recuperating from his injuries. Khan will be put on bed rest for at least 2 more days, he said.

Faisal also said a team of medical experts from Pakistan Army also checked Khan.

He said Khan has a minor fracture in his third left rib. Khan has only been allowed to sit at a 45 degree position.

Two guards of Khan have been discharged after treatment and third one still remains under treatment and observation.

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf leaders acknowledged that Khan would no longer be able to head the party's campaign.

Campaigning for Pakistan's landmark general election will end on May 9, two days ahead of the polling.

Khan's gruelling campaign, during which he addressed as many as eight rallies a day, had attracted thousands of people and he is widely tipped to emerge as a strong challenger to the PML-N in the most populous province of Punjab.

In a brief video, Khan today made a dramatic appeal to the people from his hospital bed to vote for his party in the May 11 polls and help build a "new Pakistan".

The video showed him lying on the hospital bed with a collar under his neck.