LAHORE: The Punjab government has no issues with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking medical advice from his doctors abroad, Shahbaz Gill, the provincial chief minister's spokesman told Arab News on Wednesday. 

“We want to provide every possible healthcare facility [to the former prime minister]. We have no objection if his recommended doctors fly in for his medical treatment and we have communicated this message to him,” Gill said, adding that Sharif had personally spoken to him about his interest to seek medical treatment abroad.

“He has [also] applied for a bail on medical grounds and … fears that his application may be rejected if he gets treatment here,” Gill added.

Meanwhile, Sharif's family and personal physician, Dr Adnan Khan, said they were worried about his rapidly deteriorating health, even as they demanded proper medical care for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo.

The three-time former premier is currently serving a seven-year sentence in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail on graft charges.

“Mian Nawaz Sharif is having recurrent Angina. Significant Coronary Artery Disease (Heart Disease) and co-morbidities (HTN, DM, CKD) coupled with stress have lead to exacerbation of symptoms & worsening of disease. His health is deteriorating and needs proper medical care,” Khan, who has been Sharif's doctor for the past 27 years, told Arab News.

Refuting allegations that Sharif was not being provided with proper medical care, Dr Yasmeen Rashed, the provincial health minister said that the government had given Sharif the option to get treated at any hospital in the country.

“Mr Sharif was being provided state-of-the-art healthcare facilities on the instructions of the prime minister and Punjab chief minister. Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) and Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) offered the world’s best healthcare facilities. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif does not like healthcare facilities in Punjab,” Dr. Rashed said in comments to the media on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, blaming the government for his brother's ill-health, Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and president of the PML-N, said: "My concern about Nawaz Sharif’s health multiplies with every meeting with him...The PTI government is responsible for his condition as it was doing mere lip service and not taking any practical step."