Make Nawaz’s physician co-petitioner, LHC asks Maryam

Court responds to PML-N leader's request to allow her to visit former PM twice a week

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's leader Maryam Nawaz to make former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's personal physician Dr Adnan Khan also a petitioner in her plea seeking permission to visit her father at Lahore's Kot Lakhpath Jail twice a week.

PML-N Vice President Maryam in her petition had requested the court to order authorities to allow her to visit her father along with Dr Adnan Khan twice a week to ensure the incarcerated premier's appropriate medical treatment.

However, the LHC judge Mamoon Rashid Sheikh on Friday directed the PML-N leader' lawyer to submit an amended petition making Dr Adnan Khan a petitioner along with Maryam Nawaz.

Maryam had complained to the LHC that her father intimated the jail authorities last week about his deteriorating health due to angina but they did not bother to provide him any treatment.

Maryam had nominated as respondents Punjab government through its chief secretary, additional chief secretary (home), Punjab inspector general of prisons and Kot Lakhpath jail's superintendent.

Maryam seeks to meet Nawaz twice a week

She said her father is about 70-year-old and is suffering from multiple ailments including hypertension as well as serious heart and kidney diseases – a fact duly established through multiple reports filed by Standing Medical Board to the Islamabad High Court as well as the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The PML-N leader contended that since the incarceration of Nawaz Sharif in December 2018, the petitioner and Dr Adnan Khan have been regularly visiting him as per schedule given by respondents.

The petitioner, however, came to know through media reports that Punjab government has directed Punjab inspector general of prisons and the jail superintendent to restrict visit schedule of Nawaz Sharif only to Thursday and has also limited that facility to five family members per visit.

She contended that in view of his serious ailments, Nawaz Sharif requires frequent contact with his physician who is available in Lahore, so that his medicine may be adjusted as per the requirements.

"It is unfortunate that for the last few weeks the jail authorities are not allowing Dr Adnan to meet with Nawaz Sharif despite number of reminders and requests sent by him to the authorities concerned."

She said her father told her on June 27, 2019 that he intimated the jail authorities about his deteriorating angina pain but they did not bother to entertain him.

Nawaz meets Shehbaz, daughter at Kot Lakhpat

"In view of harsh and untoward attitude of respondents and their perpetual refusal to permit Dr Adnan to visit Nawaz Sharif, the petitioner has serious apprehension that the life of her father is under serious threat which entails horrible consequences not only for her and the family but also to the nation."

She submitted that the respondents are persistently infringing the fundamental rights to life protected under Article 9 and right to act in accordance with law guaranteed under Article 4 of the Constitution.

"The respondents are knowingly acting on the whims and wishes of the ruling party [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] in federal as well as provincial governments, which is evident from venomous speeches of senior leadership of the ruling party, published and aired in the print and electronic media on daily basis.

"The law confers certain rights on accused and individuals including the convicts, foremost among such rights is right to life which encapsulates the right to proper medical care which in the petitioner father's case has time and again been compromised by the respondents for ulterior motives.

"In view the serious nature of ailment suffered by Nawaz Sharif and complications involved in the consumption of medicines by him, it is appropriate rather necessary that the petitioner along with his physician be allowed to visit her father at least twice a week to ensure his proper health care," she said.