ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was provided with certain facilities, including a television set, books, newspapers, ice boxes for medicine, at his Adiala Jail cell in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
The former president, however, was denied an air-conditioner despite request because the medical board that had recently examined him at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) didn’t “recommend” it.
The PPP co-chairman has also been provided with medical staff to regularly monitor his health condition, including blood pressure and sugar level, whereas a physiotherapist has also been assigned to the ailing PPP leader.
Zardari, who is in jail for his alleged involvement in the fake accounts case, was transferred to the hospital last week after he had fallen sick.
“Medical reports show that three arteries of Asif Zardari are blocked and he is suffering from severe spinal issues due to which he needs immediate medical attention,” his daughter Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari had told reporters at the time.
His counsel had also moved an accountability court for A-Class for the former president. Petitioners’ counsels Farooq H Naek and Sardar Latif Khosa had argued that the constitution guarantees facilities to a former president for life.
“He is heart patient and the court had given him permission to keep an attendant with him in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) custody,” his counsel had said.
However, the plea for the A-Class facilities was denied. But, the court did allow him to avail certain facilities, including an AC at his own expense.
Earlier in the day, the parliamentary leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the Senate, Sherry Rehman, had demanded the federal government to provide better facilities to former president Asif Ali Zardari.
In a statement, Sherry claimed that the health condition of Zardari is critical, alleging that the non-provision of facilities to the former president was a deliberate act of the government despite orders of the court.
She further said that the PPP co-chairman will not bow down before the government.
She accused the government of using the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for exacting revenge against the political opponents.