–Punjab info minister claims Sharif family ‘lying’ about Nawaz’s health
LAHORE: The Punjab government on Friday constituted a special medical board for the examination and management of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on the recommendations of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).
According to a notification issued, the board comprises Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology’s Assistant Professor of Cardiology Dr Hamid Sharif, Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology’s Assistant Professor of Electrophysiology Dr Muhammad Talha Bin Nazir, Punjab Institute of Cardiology’s Professor of Cardiology Dr Shahid Hameed, Punjab Institute of Cardiology’s Associate Professor of Cardiology Dr Sajjad Ahmed, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology & National Institute of Heart Diseases’ Classified Cardiologist Brigadier Abdul Hameed Siddiqui and Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology & National Institute of Heart Diseases’Classified Electrophysiologist Brigadier Azmat Hayat.
The medical board has been directed to evaluate the health condition of Nawaz and to submit a report immediately to the Home Department of the Punjab government.
Earlier, Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, while speaking to reporters outside the Punjab Assembly, rejected claims that the former premier’s health is deteriorating.
Chohan said that Nawaz’s medical reports were fine.
“The Sharifs should stop lying. He (Nawaz) is a high profile criminal, yet the federal and provincial governments have not placed any restrictions on him. He still receives food from home,” Chohan said.
He made the comments in response to a recent tweet by Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz.
“He has had multiple episodes in the last few days which he has been treating with sublingual sprays & tablets. They took him back to jail yesterday, conveniently turning a blind eye to the recommendations of the doctors and boards,” Maryam had tweeted.
She had added that “there is no way I can get in touch with him to verify. I kept trying the whole day”.
This is what I came to know when i last spoke to him. There is no way I can get in touch with him to verify. I kept trying the whole day. https://t.co/6dz8NugOSb
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) January 23, 2019
Meanwhile, PIC’s Dr Bilal Zikria has said that the former premier does not have any serious ailment and can be treated in Pakistan. Talking to a private news channel, he said that Nawaz was not diagnosed with any serious ailment and had a mild issue of heart wall as his thallium test was negative as well. Even tests declared that his heart muscles were not much damaged, he mentioned.
“Nawaz should control his sweet intake as he is diabetic and should eat in little portions and avoid fat to control blood pressure and diabetes”, he said. He confirmed that Nawaz does not need to travel abroad for medical treatment as all the required medical facilities are available in the country.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senator Faisal Javed has also said that Nawaz has been provided all the facilities and the best medical treatment in jail, adding that he was allowed to meet his family members as PTI does not play filthy politics over non-political issues.
On Thursday, Nawaz’s former physician, in a tweet, had said that Nawaz “needs treatment”.
“In respect of former PM Nawaz Sharif, PIC medical board after evaluation has documented “Moderate Inferolateral Partially Reversible Perfusion Defect” on Thallium Scan which translates into lack of blood supply to a portion of heart. The definite cause of Angina, needs treatment,” he said.
In respect of former PM #NawazSharif, PIC medical board after evaluation has documented “Moderate Inferolateral Partially Reversible Perfusion Defect” on Thallium Scan which translates into lack of blood supply to a portion of heart.
The definite cause of Angina, needs treatment. pic.twitter.com/clZzA0DTXF— Dr. Adnan Khan (@Dr_Khan) January 24, 2019
Nawaz Sharif is currently imprisoned in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail in Al-Azizia corruption case. Earlier this week, the former premier was taken to PIC amid strict security for a medical checkup.