President Asif Ali Zardari fractured his foot while deboarding an airplane on Wednesday night upon arrival at Dubai International Airport, a statement from the President House said on Thursday.

Following the fall, he was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. After a check-up, the doctor placed his foot in a cast.

“The cast will remain on his foot for four weeks,” the statement read.

It added that President Zardari was sent home and advised complete rest.

At 69 years of age, the president has had multiple health issues in recent years.

In March 2023, he underwent eye surgery in the United Arab Emirates.

In 2022, he was admitted to Karachi’s Dr Ziauddin Hospital for one week for treatment of a chest infection. Amid rumours of ill health, his personal physician and close aide Dr Asim Hussain took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to confirm that he “is in good health”.

He tested positive for Covid-19 in July 2022 but only experienced “mild symptoms”, according to his son and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

A year prior to that, Zardari was admitted to a private hospital in Karachi due to “exertion and exhaustion” caused by his frequent travelling.