–Fawad quotes PM Imran, says he has directed Punjab govt to provide complete medical facilities to former PM
–Nawaz meets family at jail, refuses to go to hospital once again
LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Punjab government to provide complete access to better medical facilities to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and move him to any hospital he wants to go for treatment.
This was shared by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in a tweet on Thursday. The information minister quoting the PM further said that recommendations of the medical board constituted to examine Nawaz need to be implemented as well.
Meanwhile, former first daughter Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif visited the detained ex-premier at the jail. They, however, failed to convince him to go to a hospital for medical treatment of his heart disease.
Nawaz, who was sent to jail in Al-Azizia case, has been suffering from cardiac problems. The government has formed at least four medical boards, which recommended shifting the ex-PM to a hospital. Eventually, he was shifted to hospital, not once, but twice.
On Wednesday, he refused to shift to a hospital on his family’s request, saying the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had humiliated him by getting him repeatedly examined by various medical boards, instead of providing proper treatment.
“I would not accept the government’s disdainful behaviour of pushing him around in the name of medical treatment from one irrelevant hospital to another,” he had said.
Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Spokesperson Shahbaz Gill also called on Nawaz Sharif on the directives of the prime minister Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Gill said Nawaz’s health seemed fine; however, he occasionally experienced pain, as a result of which he had to take medication.
“When you have had a bypass or if you are diabetic, you need to take medication for life. “This is normal procedure,” he added.
The spokesperson for the CM said that the medical board formed for Nawaz’s checkup had said that any arterial blockage should be examined with an angiography.
While clarifying that he was not saying anything for certain, Gill said that, according to doctors, if there was an angiography they would be able to figure out how to remove any blockage, such as through a stent.
Reiterating PM Imran’s directives, he said the government was willing to shift Nawaz to a hospital of his choice. In addition, Nawaz can consult with any doctor he wishes to via video link. A senior journalist, whose name Gill refuses to share, also accompanied him on his visit to Kot Lakhpat.
Last month, on February 25, the Islamabad High Court had rejected a petition seeking the release of Sharif on bail on medical grounds.
“None of the reports [about Sharif’s condition] suggest that continued incarceration of the petitioner, in any way, would be detrimental to his life,” the court’s detailed judgement had said.