PESHAWAR, Aug 24: Veteran politician Khan Abdul Wali Khan is in a critical condition after suffering a stroke on Monday night, the Awami National Party (ANP) said here.

Wali Khan, who had been seriously ill for some time, is being treated at the residence of his daughter Dr Gulalai Wali Khan in Peshawar.

ANP leaders said the condition of the octogenarian leader had been complicated on Tuesday by high blood pressure, abnormal sugar levels and shortness of breath.

“He is in coma and his condition seems to be critical,” a senior party leader said.

He said that the last surviving son of Red Shirt leader Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was on oxygen, though his sugar level and blood pressure seemed to have been brought under control.

The 88-year-old Pukhtun nationalist leader was being treated by his son-in-law, Dr Jehanzeb Khan, he added.

In August 2004, Wali Khan was admitted to the Rehman Medical Institute after developing pulmonary odema (lung congestion).

The ANP Rahbar-i-Tehrik suffers from coronary disease, diabetes and high blood pressure and has been bed-ridden for a few years.

About four years ago, he underwent a heart bypass surgery at London’s Cromwell Hospital.

“Any complication developing after heart bypass surgery is considered serious,” a doctor said.

His family has generally restricted its acknowledgement to the fact that the ANP leader is ill, apprehending a big turnout of well-wishers, causing inconvenience to both to the patient and doctors.

The ANP leader had retired from active politics after his defeat in the 1990 general elections.

The ANP said that its scheduled programme to observe the 18th death anniversary of Bacha Khan would remain unchanged.

A two-paragraph statement issued from the party’s headquarters at the Bacha Khan Markaz said that Wali Khan was in a coma after suffering a second stroke and urged party workers to pray for his recovery.