In-focus

Imran engages lawyer to initiate legal action against Patel

Imran engages lawyer to initiate legal action against Patel

Pakistan

Drug abuse, not fractures in Imran Khan's medical report: health minister

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Lawyer Abuzar Salman Niazi on Sunday said he was engaged to initiate defamation and other legal proceedings against Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for making "false and baseless allegations".

On Friday, Mr Patel said Mr Khan’s medical report showed consumption of drugs and not fractures. Addressing a presser, he said Mr Khan was examined in PIMS after he was arrested, adding that he kept moving for almost six months with a plaster. “No medical report shows fractures on Mr Khan’s body,” he added.

He went on to say that courts gave relief to Mr Khan before the medical report was sought, adding that the report could not be brought to the public completely. “Mr Khan’s urine sample was also taken for test,” he added.

Initial report elicited alcohol and cocaine abuse, Mr Patel alleged.

The minister continued by saying that details on the ratio of alcohol and cocaine would be shared soon, adding that the report also placed question mark on Mr Khan’s mental state. “I used to say he was mentally unstable even when he was the PM,” he added.

“I told Mr Khan that reports on you would also be formed when you are arrested,” he said.

Mr Patel continued by saying that PPP leaders Faryal Talpur and Asif Ali Zardari were arrested when they were ill. “Mr Khan got bail as remand,” he added.

The PPP had also been at odds with the policies of institutions, he said, adding that they stood by the army in difficult times. “We cannot even think of desecrating the graves of martyrs,” he added.

PTI to serve defamation suit on Patel

The PTI, reacting to Mr Patel's "shameful accusations", decided to move the court against him, the NAB, PIMS, and the ministry of health. The party also decided to serve a defamation suit against Mr Patel.