Punjab asked to assess Nawaz’s medical reports

AGP writes letter to provincial home secretary to form medical board

ISLAMABAD:

Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Jawed Khan requested the Punjab government on Wednesday to constitute a medical board to examine the medical reports of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who currently resided in London for medical treatment.

In a two-page letter, addressed to the Punjab home secretary, the Attorney General’s Office stated that any firm view or opinion about the health of Nawaz and his fitness for travel could only be formed on the basis of an independent expert medical opinion. Nawaz, the Quaid of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was convicted by an accountability court in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference. However, he was allowed to travel to London in November 2019 for medical treatment.

“… The apparent present physical condition of Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif as available in the media and given the fact that he had left the country claiming to be in extreme critical condition which prima facie improved significantly after his arrival in London,” the letter said.

Read Doctors advise Nawaz against travelling

“The fact that he has apparently never been hospitalized and his political, social and other recreational activities have continued uninterrupted and regularly reported in media may indicate that severe ailment, if any, that may have existed in past is no longer evident or constraint his activities,” it added.

“This also indicates that Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif may be fit to travel back to Pakistan as per the solemn and binding Undertakings and commitment made before Lahore High Court… However, any firm view or opinion on his health and physical condition and fitness to travel could only be formed on the basis of independent expert medical opinion.”

According to the letter, Nawaz’s brother and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif had “submitted eight documents claiming to be periodical medical reports in respect of Mian Mohammad Nawaz Shanif”. The letter added that the last available report was dated July 8, 2021.

The letter was written a day after the federal cabinet instructed the AGP Office to initiate proceedings for “apparent violation of the Undertakings” given before the Lahore High Court. The AGP letter said that it would proceed as per the court order once the expert medical opinion was available.

“In order to initiate the process of verification in the light of the order of the Lahore High Court dated 16-11-2019, the Government of Punjab is requested to constitute a medical board/committee to examine the documents submitted as medical reports on behalf of the petitioner,” the letter said.

“The medical board may examine the documents submitted by the Petitioner in Court and evaluate given all the known and reported facts and public activities of Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif to form opinion, if any, on this subject,” it added.