Nawaz physician not sharing his latest status, says Dr Yasmin Rashid

Nawaz Sharif must share his true status or else the Home Department may take further necessary action in accordance with law

LAHORE - Punjab govt has sought verified latest medical reports of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for taking final decision on application seeking extension in his stay abroad.

Dr Adnan Khan, personal physician of the ex-PM, has, however, shared latest medical reports on his twitter handle claiming that the same have been sent to the relevant Minister and officials on Tuesday.

“Former PM Nawaz Sharif’s latest medical report along with copies of Rubidium Cardiac PET-CT Scan, Echocardiogram & Holter Analysis were submitted this morning at 06:37 AM London, UK (GMT) to the Government authorities & sent directly to the concerned Minister & officials”, the tweet reads.

The debate over the health conditions of ex-PM began following surfacing of a picture featuring Nawaz Sharif and family taking tea at a restaurant in posh locality of London.

Implicitly expressing doubt over the seriousness of his health, the government sought reports which according to Dr Adnan Khan have been submitted to the relevant authorities.

Former PM’s medical reports are incomplete

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid expressed doubts over the health condition of Nawaz Sharif, stating, medical reports required for extension in his bail were incomplete and inconclusive.

Addressing a Press conference at the Directorate General Public Relations on Tuesday, the Minister said that bail of Mian Nawaz Sharif expired on December 25th, 2019 after which the latest status was to be submitted to the court.

The Medical Board constituted for technical advice on Nawaz Sharif condition has assessed that the reports of his current condition received from his personal physician were incomplete and this has accordingly been shared with the Home Department.

Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Haris had pleaded to the court on the expiry of bail that a new Medical Board may be constituted.

The Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department directed accordingly and a new Medical Board headed by Prof Mehmud Ayaz was constituted.

This Board met on January 2 and 3 to assess whether the stay of former Prime Minister in London may be extended on medical grounds or not.

The Medical Board has informed the personal physician of the former Prime Minister that reports were incomplete and inconclusive.

“Nothing new has been diagnosed in fresh reports we have received.

They have listed the same complications we had diagnosed earlier and it is not possible to reach a definite conclusion on the developments in the last six weeks.

The Medical Board has communicated the same to the Home Department that reaching a conclusion is not possible on the basis of the medical reports. The Home Department has conveyed the same to Nawaz Sharif as well,” she added.

“Now we have a situation at hand: the lawyer says his condition is serious and extension in bail may be granted, the medical reports by his personal physician remain incomplete and inconclusive; meanwhile the patient is spotted in eateries in London’s posh locality.”

Dr Yasmin Rashid further said that many voices in media and political circles had criticised the government for risking Nawaz Sharif life when he was in Pakistan.

He was allowed to leave the country on humanitarian basis so that he could get treatment to his own satisfaction from the doctors who had treated him earlier in London.

“Their plea in court for extension in bail is beyond understanding as complete reports are not being sent to us. It is even stranger that a patient suffering from multiple serious complications is spotted roaming in restaurants. If his condition has improved, he must come back and face courts legal proceedings,” the Minister said.

“In any case, the Medical Board has shared its observations with the relevant department. Nawaz Sharif must share his true status or else the Home Department may take further necessary action in accordance with the law,” she added.

On a question related to cancer medicines, the Minister said that a Third Party Evaluation of the arrangements made by former government and the Company providing medicines was needed for sake of transparency.

“Our team of experts has engaged all stakeholders and all arrangements of supplies and prices are being reviewed. Meanwhile, medicines are available for patients”, she said.

To the presser of Minister for Health, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb has suggested focusing on governance and issues relating to public instead of doing politics on health of ailing Nawaz Sharif. She said that the reports would soon be forwarded to the relevant authorities.

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