ISLAMABAD: A medical report submitted in a Pakistani court on Tuesday said the country’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif should not travel to his country due to medical complications that might cause risk to his life.
Sharif was found guilty in a corruption reference by an accountability court in Pakistan and sent to jail for 10 years in December 2018. He began his prison term in his country but was temporarily released on medical grounds.
Subsequently, he left Pakistan in November 2019 to seek medical treatment in London. However, he did not return to his country since then.
The government has tried to bring him back by negotiating an agreement with the United Kingdom for the repatriation of convicted citizens. It has also used Pakistani courts where several cases remain pending against him and his close relatives.
“In my opinion, until he [Nawaz Sharif] gets coronary angiography he should ... stay in close proximity to the facilities he has been getting ... until [the end of] COVID-19,” said the report submitted in the Lahore High Court which was later mentioned by local media outlets and circulated on social media platforms.
“His co-morbidities make him a ‘high risk’ candidate for death, respiratory failure etc., should he contract COVID-19 infection,” it added.
Prepared by Dr. Fayaz Shawl, a senior cardiologist in the United States who has treated Sharif since 2004, the medical report said the former prime minister was “advised to have a healthy diet and exercise regularly.”
“In addition, he was strongly advised to manage his stress to the maximum extent to avoid what happened during his imprisonment [in Pakistan],” the document continued. “Any further solitary confinement for a prolonged period will have negative effect toward his life.”
The report maintained that Sharif should “proceed with his coronary angiography and possible angioplasty” or redo coronary artery bypass graft surgery once the pandemic was over.
Pakistan’s information minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the medical report was fabricated, adding the Sharif family should return the people of Pakistan their money.
“Such fake reports are not going to serve his purpose,” he maintained.
Hussain said he was hopeful that Pakistani courts would take notice of how the former prime minister left the country and submitted fabricated reports to stay away from Pakistan.
Medical report submitted in local court advises Nawaz Sharif against traveling to Pakistan
https://arab.news/pzfm8
Medical report submitted in local court advises Nawaz Sharif against traveling to Pakistan
- Sharif was found guilty in a corruption reference by an accountability court and sent to prison for 10 years in December 2018
- He was temporarily released and left Pakistan in November 2019 to seek medical treatment in London
Curfew extended in Gilgit-Baltistan, probe ordered after deadly Khamenei protests
- At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Government also announces a de-weaponization campaign, crackdown on hate speech and cybercrime in region
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region on Tuesday extended a curfew in Gilgit district and ordered a judicial probe into violent protests over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes last week, an official said.
At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in GB, where protesters torched and vandalized several buildings, including United Nations regional offices, an army-run school, software technology park and a local charity building.
The violence prompted regional authorities to impose curfew in Gilgit and Skardu districts on March 2-4 as officials urged people to stay indoors and cooperate with law enforcers, amid widespread anger in Pakistan, particularly among members of the Shiite minority, over Khamenei’s killing.
On Tuesday, the GB government convened to review the situation and announced the extension of curfew in Gilgit among a number of security measures as well as ordered the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the weekend violence in the region.
“The government has made it clear that the law will strictly take its course against elements involved in vandalism at government institutions, private properties and incidents of vandalism in Gilgit and Skardu and no kind of mischief will be tolerated,” Shabbir Mir, a GB government spokesperson, said in a statement.
“In view of the security situation, curfew will remain in force in Gilgit, while the decision to extend the curfew in Skardu will be taken keeping the ground realities and the changing situation in view.”
The statement did not specify how long the curfew will remain in place in Gilgit.
Besides the formation of the judicial commission to investigate the violent clashes, the government also decided to launch a large-scale de-weaponization campaign in the entire Gilgit district, for which relevant institutions have been directed to immediately complete all necessary arrangements, according to Mir.
In addition, a crackdown has been ordered on hate speech, spread of fake news and cybercrime.
“The aim of these decisions is to ensure the rule of law, protect the lives and property of citizens and crack down on miscreants,” he said. “Approval has also been given to immediately survey the affected infrastructure and start their restoration work on priority basis.”
Demonstrators in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi also stormed the US Consulate on Sunday, smashing windows and attempting to burn the building. Police responded with batons, tear gas, and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured.
Pakistani authorities have since beefed up security at US diplomatic missions across the country, including around the US consulate building in Peshawar, to avoid any further violence.
