LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s health condition is serious, claimed PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif.

“The condition of Nawaz Sharif is not well,” Shahbaz said while talking to reporters here on Monday. He said that hearing on a petition of Nawaz seeking bail on medical grounds was scheduled for Tuesday (today) and “we hope for the best”.

Shahbaz’s son Hamza said when Prime Minister Imran Khan had fallen from a stage in 2013, the then premier Nawaz had gone to hospital to inquire after his health. Nawaz had also rushed to hospital in Rawalpindi when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. “We should not do politics on the health of Nawaz Sharif,” he said and advised ruling party ministers not to make fun of it.

Earlier, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz said her father’s kidney functions were deteriorating. She claimed the blood tests conducted on Friday had revealed a further raise in his creatinine levels, which meant that his kidneys were not functioning properly. “His kidney disease is already at stage 3. The pain in the flanks persists,” she added.

SHAHBAZ’S LETTER: In a letter to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif wrote: “The compassion, empathy and love demonstrated by the people of New Zealand under your leadership following the horrific massacre of defenseless worshipers in Christchurch is an extraordinary testament to the greatness in humanity. You showed the world that terrorism has no religion. Your righteous and uncompromising acts of leadership will be remembered for centuries as a turning point for human history, if only global leaders take heed.”

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2019