LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is serving seven-year imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case, was shifted to hospital on Friday for cardiac treatment. This is his third shifting to hospital since his detention at Kot Lakhpat jail.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has, meanwhile, objected to the shifting of its supreme leader to the Jinnah Hospital which, it claimed, “lacks facilities to treat heart patients”. As the Jinnah Hospital has been declared a ‘sub-jail’ for Mr Sharif by the Punjab home department during his stay, some PML-N leaders were not allowed by the hospital administration to see him.

The Punjab government has formed a five-member (fifth) special medical board, headed by Prof Dr Arif Tajamal of Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital, to examine and conduct the former premier’s medical tests and submit its recommendations to the Punjab government.

PML-N claims Jinnah Hospital lacks facilities to treat heart patients

Earlier, the (fourth) multi-disciplinary medical board of the Services Hospital said Mr Sharif’s treatment was possible in any specialised cardiac health facility in Pakistan. After examining the results of all his tests, the medical board reached a unanimous decision that Mr Sharif, 69, needed some kind of cardiac intervention. “For the purpose, he should be shifted to a cardiac institute. Mr Sharif has cardiac issues because of his previous history of some diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney problem,” said the board.

Subsequently, Mr Sharif’s personal physician Dr Adnan Khan had requested the Punjab government to provide him round-the-clock expert cardiac care at a facility where cardiology intervention and multidisciplinary backup were available.

PML-N spokesperson and former information minister Marriyum Auranzeb has demanded immediate shifting of Nawaz Sharif to a cardiology specialist medical facility. “After failing to prove corruption, the PTI is venting its frustration by playing with the health of Mr Sharif,” she said.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2019