ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to tender an apology and resign for “blatantly lying” to the nation about Nawaz Sharif’s health condition.

Addressing a news conference at National Press Club here on Wednesday, PML-N Senator Musaddiq Malik, information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb and deputy secretary general Attaullah Tarrar said that the former prime minister had gone abroad for treatment on the directive of the government’s medical board, but “the PTI government is continuously lying about his medical condition”.

Mr Malik said that Nawaz Sharif was suffering from a condition where the vessel responsible for supply of blood to his brain was blocked.

He said an extension in the PML-N supreme leader’s bail would be perused on legal grounds.

He pointed out that during detention Mr Sharif suffered two heart attacks and the entire Punjab government struggled to diagnose his ailment.

Musaddiq says vessel responsible for supply of blood to Nawaz’s brain is blocked

The Punjab government itself said Mr Sharif was extremely ill and his treatment was only possible abroad, he added.

Mr Malik pointed out that Mr Sharif’s dangerously low platelet count was shared by the doctors designated by the government, including those called in from the Aga Khan Hospital and Dr Tahir Shamsi who too was appointed by the government.

He said that even the CEO of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, who is Imran Khan’s friend, had testified along with the entire machinery of the Punjab government and the health minister held numerous press conferences confirming these facts and recommending treatment abroad.

Mr Malik said Imran Khan and his cabinet were the ones who approved Mr Sharif’s travel abroad. He said the PML-N leader had a serious heart disease where he had seven stents installed one of which was malfunctioning. The doctors from the UK and the US had already inspected his condition and recommended an angiography as the next steps.

“Nawaz Sharif has submitted his medical reports to the Punjab government as agreed in the court and that all reports were attested by the doctors, notary public, London Foreign Office and Pakistan High Commission, but the PTI is adamant that the reports are fake,” he said.

“Under what bilateral arrangement did the Pakistani government write a letter to the UK government as there are no legal grounds for any such action,” he said, adding: “All this hoopla over Nawaz’s health is just a massive distraction campaign away from the plight of the people crushed under this government’s incompetence.”

Attaullah Tarrar said that the bail granted by the the high court to Nawaz Sharif was still in effect. The court gave Mr Sharif bail on medical grounds and all government measures around it were illegal, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2020