ISLAMABAD - The Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Monday asked Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to provide medical reports of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif within 10 days to avoid legal proceedings over breach of his undertaking.
The AGP office said in the letter that Shehbaz had given a solemn undertaking before the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the one time permission to Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad as an interim arrangement for four weeks and he was to return when certified by doctors that he has regained his health and is fit to return back to Pakistan.
It added that as evident from the undertaking, periodical medical reports of the doctor were to be provided by Shehbaz to Registrar LHC and in this regard, the last available report dated 8-7-2021 was filed vide letter dated 3-8-3021.
The letter further said, “In view of the apparent present physical condition of Nawaz Sharif as available in the media and given the fact that he had left the country claiming to be in extreme critical condition which prima facie improved significantly after his arrival in London and the fact that he has apparently never been hospitalized and his political, social and other recreational activities have continued uninterrupted and regularly reported in media.”
It continued that in view of the foregoing the Federal Cabinet in its meeting held on 11th January 2022, discussed the matter and instructed this office to initiate proceedings for apparent violation of the undertaking.
“In order to initiate the process in the light of the order of the LHC dated 16-11-2019, the government of Punjab was requested to constitute a medical board to examine the documents submitted as medical reports of Mian Nawaz Sharif so that expert medical opinion regarding the physical condition of Nawaz Sharif and his ability to travel back to Pakistan is made available,” mentioned the letter.
It said that accordingly, the Punjab Government constituted a special medical board which examined the reports of the former Prime Minister. The board observed that the said reports did not provide “any information about his current clinical evaluation, blood reports, imaging results and any interventional procedures so far.”
The AGP letter added that therefore, the medical board could not give its advice in light of the incomplete information provided by PML-N leadership.
It maintained, “This is evident from the observations of the Special Medial Board that you have not fulfilled your obligation to provide periodical medical report of the doctor as per your solemn undertaking and order of the Court. You are, therefore, prima facie, in violation of your Undertaking and order passed by the Lahore High Court dated 16-11-2019.”
It further said, “Before initiating appropriate proceedings before the LHC for breach of undertaking and the order of the court, it is deemed appropriate that this letter is addressed to you for providing the medical reports as stated in the letter of the special medical board within a period of 10 days of the receipt of this letter.”
The AGP letter also warned, “In the event of your failure, this office shall be constrained to initiate proceedings for breach of undertaking and violation of the order of the court in terms of Article 204 of the Constitution of Pakistan read with Section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003.”