Heart specialists to conduct Sharif’s checkup

Punjab govt extends former premier’s stay at Services Hospital

LAHORE: Punjab government has decided to extend former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s stay at the Services Hospital, where heart specialists from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) would conduct his medical checkup in view of report of a medical board.

“Decision for Nawaz Sharif’s further treatment has been taken in view of the medical board’s report. Any decision in future would also be taken on the recommendation of doctors,” Punjab Chief Minister spokesperson Dr Shehbaz Gill said on Wednesday.

Sharif, who is serving seven-year imprisonment at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail, was shifted to the Services Hospital last week in view of his health conditions. A medical board on Tuesday declared that the former premier needed special heart treatment.

The spokesperson rejected the Sharif family’s claim that the former PM wanted to return to jail despite doctor’s insistence.  “The Sharif family should stop this drama of Sharif not ready to go to the PIC and wanting to go back to Kot Lakhpat Jail.

“In this matter Sharif family has no say. He is a prisoner and he would be dealt with as per the rules and not on anybody’s desires and wishes,” he said, adding that the Sharifs should not make the matter a political stunt.

He said both the Services Hospital and the PIC share their boundary wall. Doctors from the PIC would examine Nawaz Sharif at the Service Hospital and there is no need to shift him to the PIC.  “Any decision regarding his treatment would be taken on advice of concerned doctors after his medical examination.”

Earlier in the day rumours were taking round that Nawaz Sharif has categorically refused to go to the PIC, where he was to get specialised heart treatment as recommended by a board of doctors.

Sources close to the family said Maryam Nawaz also tried to convince her father to get treatment at the PIC but Nawaz Sharif desired to be sent back to the jail. Maryam also stated on Tuesday that Sharif wanted to return to the prison.

Doctors of the medical board that carried out medical examination of Sharif also said they had recommended that Nawaz Sharif to be shifted to a hospital with cardiac ward on urgent basis.

The medical board head, Dr Mehmood Ayaz, on Tuesday confirmed that the board had recommended a specialised heart treatment for Sharif. In an earlier discussion with media, he had confirmed that the Service Hospital has all the medical facilities for cardiac treatment.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb lambasted the government and questioned as to why Sharif was sent to a hospital which was not even in line with the prognosis recommended by the panel of doctors.

“The medical treatment being given to the PML-N leadership is based on diagnosis and prognosis of panels of expert doctors and not on someone’s wishes and fancies,” she added.

Marriyum warned that if anything happened to Nawaz Sharif’s health due to this ‘intentional negligence’ of the government then the people of Pakistan and lovers of Nawaz Sharif would wreak havoc.

Sharif’s personal physician, Dr Adnan, said he has not been provided a copy of the Sharif’s medical reports, ‘which is concerning’. He also questioned why Nawaz Sharif was not provided the required facility of specialised cardiac treatment.