LAHORE: Opposition leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif has warned Prime Minister Imran Khan of reprisal if (political) disputes continue in the country.

Meanwhile, fresh drop in platelet count on Sunday from a position of optimism was a cause of concern for doctors treating former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the Services Hospital.

“If Imran Khan doesn’t refrain from continuing with his policy of disputes and controversies, then he won’t find a chance to flee the country,” the PML-N president warned the prime minister at an event held here in Model Town on Sunday to show solidarity with the people of India-held Kashmir.

A PML-N leader refutes media reports regarding plan to shift Nawaz abroad

Mr Shahbaz expressed the belief that the country would get Kashmir without any hassle by strengthening its economy, recalling that East Germany was driven to unite with West Germany because of the latter’s economic development.

He said Kashmir would win its freedom only when Nawaz Sharif would be in power as he had earlier made the country a nuclear power by rejecting all incentives offered by the US and then brought prosperity to the country through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Meanwhile, the medical board supervising the health of Nawaz Sharif at the state-run Services Hospital is worried at the fluctuating platelet count of the ex-premier.

His blood samples examined on Saturday showed that the platelet count had crossed 45,000 mark leading to hopes that his body had begun generating platelets and its level would soon cross the 100,000 mark in a couple of days. But to the worries of the board the count reduced to 25,000 on Sunday.

Medical board head Dr Ayaz Mahmood told the media that they had adjusted some medicines of Nawaz Sharif. To a question, he said Mr Sharif would stay at Services Hospital until he requested shifting to some other health facility of his liking.

Nawaz a free man till 29th

A senior PML-N leader, when contacted, refuted the reports circulating in the media regarding any plan to shift Mr Sharif abroad for treatment. The PML-N leader said Mr Sharif was a free man only till Oct 29 when the Islamabad High Court would again take up the case. Moreover, he said, according to the doctors, Mr Sharif could not travel due to his present health condition. He said since the issue had not come up under discussion at any level, there was no truth in the reports that Mr Sharif had refused to go abroad.

“Such speculations are being spread intentionally only to damage the PML-N leadership’s image and to fizzle out the opposition’s ongoing anti-government movement,” he regretted.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2019