LAHORE: Representatives of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party expressed concern over the health of their founding leader, Nawaz Sharif, on Thursday, urging authorities to set up a special board of senior doctors which could examine his condition and provide the necessary medical treatment.
“Media reports claim that Mian Nawaz Sharif is not well. He has a history of heart disease and has previously undergone surgery. The party is concerned about his health and demands [the setting up of a] medical board for his thorough examination,” Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, a senior PML-N leader, told Arab News on Thursday.
“Provision of a health facility is his basic right,” he continued, adding that “the government is denying him that”.
Responding to PLM-N’s claims, Punjab’s Information Minister, Fayazul Hasan Chohan said that the government was providing all facilities to Sharif and his family. He added that Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, and other family members had met the former premier several times, while a medical board had already examined him, too.
“Reports of the medical tests are in front of me right now. Everything is normal. All tests are clear. Only the lower part of the heart is mildly enlarged, but that is common in patients suffering from high blood pressure. The government is doing everything it can to take care of Nawaz Sharif’s medical issues,” the minister told Arab News.
The image of the report prepared by the medical board who examined Nawaz Sharif in Jail last week. (Supplied)
Three-time prime minister Sharif is currently lodged in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail on graft charges. On Tuesday, he was rushed to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) by the jail authorities where he was examined by a team of doctors.
“Mian Nawaz Sharif was brought to the hospital by jail authorities. He was examined by a team of doctors and the reports have been handed over to officials,” Dr. Ameer Qureshi, Medical Superintendent, PIC, told Arab News.
Sharif was moved to Lahore’s central jail on December 26 last year. However, he complained of ill health last week. The Punjab government constituted a special medical board to examine him which, in turn, suggested more tests to be conducted before starting his treatment.
“Patient Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, 69, examined by the special medical board is a known case of diabetes mellitus and hypertension for the last 10 years. He is also a known case of Ischemic heart disease since 2001,” the medical board observed.
“Vague symptoms [include] pain in Sharif’s both arms, particularly at night, and numbness of toes. He can walk 45 minutes without any significant symptoms. He denied any symptoms of dizziness, pre-syncope or syncope. His hemodynamics were also within normal limits. He is on dual antiplatelets, beta blocker, amlodipine, ARB’S and stains with anti-diabetic treatment,” the report added.
Sharif’s family members said they were upset after analyzing medical reports about his health. “Not one but THREE independent medical boards with top specialists on them constituted by the government itself have all examined him & raised the alarm. All three. The risk is huge,” Maryam Nawaz, his daughter, tweeted. “My only source of information on what is happening to my father is the media only,” she said in another tweeted.
While replying to Maryam’s concerns, spokesperson of the Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Gill, said that a video had been posted on Twitter to show that the government is providing the required medical treatment to the former premier. He added that, as suggested by the PIC, a more elaborate medical board has been constituted to examine Sharif’s health.
