Nawaz Sharif's health stablises; PML-N demands release of Maryam on parole
Doctors initially believed Sharif had contracted dengue fever, which is rampant in Pakistan.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – A Services Hospital’s medical board, tasked to examine former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s health and provide him necessary medical care, on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over rehabilitation as Sharif’s platelets crossed 30,000 level.
Reportedly, doctors have transfused four mega units of platelets into Sharif.
In an important development by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the party’s member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Salma Saadia Taimoor today submitted a resolution in the provincial assembly, seeking release of detained Maryam Nawaz on parole so that she could inquire about health condition of her father.
Taimoor has warned that if anything happened to Sharif, the government would be responsible for it. “The government has subjected Nawaz Sharif to brutal repression that has affected his health badly,” she said.
Sources told the media that the PML-N has formally requested the interior ministry for Maryam’s meeting with her ailing father.
In an application written to the interior ministry, the party has mentioned that the three-time prime minister has been undergoing treatment in the Services Hospital whereas his daughter is detained in the Kot Lakhpat Jail where she could not get information about his father’s health. The request has been made by PML-N deputy general secretary Atta ullah Tarar.
On Monday night, Sharif was rushed to the hospital after his platelets had dropped to a dangerously low level with his doctors raising alarming concerns.
On Monday evening, Dr Adnan Khan, Sharif’s personal doctor, had raised alarm about the former premier’s deteriorating health, urging the government to immediately shift him to a hospital for treatment.
Doctors initially believed Sharif had contracted dengue fever, which is rampant in Pakistan.
Later, the National Accountability Bureau stated that his condition was "under control" and dengue test results were negative.
In a press release issued by NAB Lahore following the former premier’s visit to the hospital, the accountability watchdog had said that Sharif’s platelets had decreased "allegedly due to provision of medicine which makes blood thin that was suggested by Dr Adnan Khan, who is his personal physician".
The accountability watchdog had said Sharif had been shifted to Services Hospital for a complete medical check and in order to increase his platelet levels.
"A team of doctors have been deputed to provide him round the clock medical facilities without fail," the press release had stated, adding that his physician had spent three hours with Nawaz on Monday.
"Therefore, the impression being given in media that NAB has not given him permission to see Nawaz Sharif is not correct and totally baseless. Media is requested to kindly avoid spreading speculations without consulting [NAB’s] spokesman," the bureau had mentioned.
After his arrest in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, the PML-N’s supremo had been shifted from Kot Lakhpat jail – where he is serving a seven-year term in Al-Azizia case – to NAB’s Lahore building. The bureau obtained his physical remand till Oct 25.
Sharif was sentenced to 12 years in prison on corruption charges and seven years on a separate money laundering charge. He is also under investigation on other corruption allegations. Sharif has appealed the two convictions, insisting on his innocence.
In related developments, Sharif’s son-in-law, Mohammad Safdar, was arrested on Monday after he alleged that Sharif was being slowly poisoned — a charge that Pakistani authorities promptly denied.
The National Accountability Bureau, which oversees investigations into corruption allegations, had questioned Sharif for the past week on corruption charges in connection with a sugar mill in which he held controlling shares while serving as prime minister.
The charges also allege that other members of his family, including his daughter Maryam Nawaz, retained shares. Sharif’s daughter is appealing an earlier conviction on corruption charges against her. She was sentenced to seven years for her involvement in the purchase of apartments in London but is now out on bail during the appeal process.
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has been relentless in pursuit of corruption cases but has come under fire for focusing most of its attention on its opponents.
