PM’s medical check-up sets rumour mill in motion

Nawaz visits Lahore hospital where tests detect kidney stone

ISLAMABAD: Ahead of the imminent Panamagate verdict, media reports are swirling around that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will fly abroad for medical treatment, though the ruling party denies any such visit is scheduled.

As opposed to the sensational news on media,PM is Alhamdolillah fine. Diagnosed with small kidney stone that doesn't need any intervention.

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 1, 2017

Sharif, who is in Lahore to spend the weekend, paid a low-key visit to a private hospital in Gulberg on Saturday. Sources said the premier underwent ECG, complete blood picture, CT scan, kidneys and cholesterol tests.

The tests detected a kidney stone. Some political circles believe Sharif might have to travel abroad to have the stone removed. Since he had had an open heart surgery in London in May 2016, another visit is highly likely.

Sources are drawing parallels between the two scenarios, saying Sharif ‘skipped’ the scene to avoid the hype of Panama leaks scandal and returned in July after the dust had settled.

Recently, the prime minister chaired a Parliamentary Party meeting of the PML-N to counter the negativity surrounding Panama leaks episode. Some participants, according to sources, had suggested in the meeting that Sharif should leave the country for a short while.

The premier’s medical check-up in Lahore on Friday gave more grist to the rumour mill churning out reports about Sharif’s unstable political future.

Senior PML-N leaders, however, ruled out a visit by Sharif to London or elsewhere.



Requesting anonymity, a senior PML-N leader confirmed that the premier underwent a series of tests at a hospital in Lahore. He claimed that all the results were ‘clear’ except for the kidney ones. “One kidney has a stone but there is no need to assume that the prime minister would be going abroad for medical treatment in the near future,” he said.

According to the leader, Sharif visited a private hospital instead of visiting the Punjab Institute of Cardiology in order to avoid media hype. “Mian Sahib was without official protocol and accompanied by a handful of his personal staff members during the visit,” he said. “But unfortunately the visit gave birth to rumours that he will be flying abroad to avoid the Panamagate verdict.”



Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah first expressed ignorance about Sharif’s hospital visit, but later spoke in implied confirmation. “Even if someone visits a hospital for routine check-up, it shouldn’t raise eyebrows,” he told The Express Tribune. “The prime minister had a major heart surgery last year and if the follow-up requires some tests, then it is not something unusual.”

On reports that Sharif might fly abroad, he said, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”

The prime minister undertakes official visits to the entire but assuming that it is because of Panamagate is wishful thinking, he added.

Political analyst Kanwar Dilshad believes reports regarding Sharif’s medical tests were deliberately ‘leaked’ to attract public sympathy. “I saw the news that the prime minister went to a hospital in his private vehicle without any protocol and security,” he said. “Such ‘leaks’ are aimed at winning public sympathy as they give a ‘humane’ touch to the bigwigs’ actions.”

Dilshad, however, doesn’t think Sharif might fly abroad.

“Reports are doing rounds that Sharif could leave the country and send his resignation from abroad, but I don’t buy these reports,” he added. “Politicians have a lot of options to deal with such situations instead of skipping them… and that too in a democratic rule,” he added.