Treatment of incarcerated former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif at the Services Hospital has irked other patients and their attendants whose plight has been added to, a private media outlet reported Wednesday.
Reports quoted patients as saying that three out of four gates of the hospital had been closed for public for the past four days and they had to travel a long distance to enter its premises or visit certain departments.
At least 80 police personnel have been deployed both inside and outside the hospital for Nawaz’s security, reports said.
An attendant said that common patients were suffering due to the VIP protocol and “so-called security measures” for the former premier.
However, the hospital’s management said that the closure of gates was a routine practice and was not specifically due to the security arrangements.
Responding to a question, Services Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Qambar said that gate number 2 remained closed on holidays and was shut on Saturday because of Kashmir Solidarity Day. Gate number 3, he added, was closed after the general shift ended every day.
He further said that gate number 1 and 4 were open for all.
The visitors, however, dismissed the claims and said that they had to take detours to far-flung departments of the hospital since only one gate was opened for the public.
It was learnt that some departments were as far as 500 metres from the emergency gates.
Earlier, ousted prime minister Nawaz had undergone several medical tests at the hospital on February 3. The tests and subsequent treatment had been prescribed by the medical board formed to examine his deteriorating health at the Kot Lakhpat Jail.