Doctors ‘arm-twisted’ into discharging PTI’s Yasmin Rashid

PTI Punjab President Yasmin Rashid was discharged from Lahore’s Services Hospital on Sunday amid allegations of a senior police official twisting the arm of medical staff.

The PTI leader’s lawyer, Rana Mudassar, asserted that neither Rashid’s legal counsel nor her family were permitted to visit her during her hospitalisation.

According to Mudassar, his client endured uncomfortable conditions during her hospital stay.

Despite Rashid's year-long incarceration, she had only recently experienced back issues, which, according to Mudassar, were exacerbated by the hospital's subpar facilities, including a reportedly uncomfortable and broken bed.

The lawyer further claimed that doctors had recommended Rashid remain hospitalised for an additional two to three days for further investigation due to a significant infection. While Rashid's condition had improved slightly, Mudassar said that doctors advised additional tests.

He also expressed surprise over reports that a journalist had managed to meet Rashid independently, saying that the circumstances of the meeting were unknown to Rashid's legal team.

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"I have learned from various sources that the deputy inspector general of operations intervened aggressively and 'managed' the doctors, pressuring them to discharge Rashid despite medical recommendations," Mudassar alleged.

He criticised the transportation arrangements, saying that Rashid was escorted back to prison in unfavourable conditions, despite the availability of an ambulance.

Concerns were raised regarding Rashid's treatment and the potential repercussions of her return to jail in similar conditions, potentially jeopardising her health.

"It is the state's responsibility to ensure her basic rights," Mudassar emphasized, stressing the importance of adequate medical care for Rashid's well-being.

It is noteworthy that Rashid is under judicial remand, implying that the administration of Kot Lakhpat Jail, rather than the police, is responsible for her custody.

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Media reports said that jail officials claimed that Rashid had "recovered” and therefore, it was decided to transfer her back to prison.

Rashid was hospitalised on Wednesday following a health setback while serving time in Kot Lakhpat Jail, purportedly due to the absence of prompt medical attention.

She has spent close to a year behind bars in connection with various cases stemming from the tumultuous events of May 9, 2023, when nationwide protests and disturbances erupted after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Initially detained on May 12 of the preceding year under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, Rashid was rearrested the subsequent day on suspicions of involvement in the May 9 disturbances.

On Wednesday, Rashid's legal representative alleged that the 72-year-old senior PTI figure, who is a cancer survivor, had not received treatment from jail authorities the day before, despite experiencing persistent vomiting and abdominal discomfort.