LAHORE, Feb 4: Former Punjab chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif underwent surgery in a New York hospital on Tuesday, his spokesman in Lahore Farrukh Shah said.

According to him, the doctors removed complications caused by an appendicitis operation  after which the Pakistan Mulsim League (Nawaz) president was recovering fast.

Some family members and former finance minister Ishaq Dar were present in the Slone Catring Hospital at the time of surgery.

Shahbaz Sharif, according to the spokesman, thanked the people of Pakistan for their prayers which had culminated in a successful surgery.

Hamza Shahbaz is still in London, waiting for a United States visa.

Mr Shah says Hamza has now been asked by the US embassy in London to come on Wednesday to have his passport visaed.