Yasmin tells Nawaz: Submit fresh medical reports in 24 hrs or face action

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said here on Tuesday that the medical reports of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, submitted for extension in his bail, are unsatisfactory, incomplete and inconclusive.

Addressing a press conference at the Directorate General Public Relations, she said if the PML-N supremo did not submit his fresh medical reports within 24 hours, the Punjab Home Department would take action against him in accordance with the law. 

She said Nawaz Sharif bail expired on Dec 25, 2019 after which the latest status was to be submitted to the court. The medical board constituted for technical advice on Nawaz Sharif condition has assessed that the reports of his current condition received from his personal physician are incomplete and this has accordingly been dispatched to the Home Department.

Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Khwaja Haris had pleaded with the court on the expiry of bail that a new medical board may be constituted. The Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department directed accordingly and a new board, led by convener Professor Mehmud Ayaz, was constituted. The board met on Jan 2-3 to assess whether the stay of former PM in London may be extended on medical grounds or not.

The board informed the personal physician of the former PM that reports were incomplete and inconclusive. “Nothing new has been diagnosed in the fresh reports we received. They have listed the same complications we had diagnosed earlier and it is not possible to reach a definite conclusion on the developments in the last six weeks. The medical board similarly informed the Home Department that reaching a conclusion is not possible on the basis of the medical reports. The Home Department has conveyed the same to Nawaz Sharif as well,” she added.

“Now we have a situation at hand: the lawyer says his condition is serious and extension in bail may be granted, the medical reports by his personal physicians remain incomplete and inconclusive; meanwhile the patient is spotted in London’s posh eateries.” "Everyone has seen the photos of Nawaz Sharif that have gone viral on the social media. We have asked Dr Adnan (Nawaz's physician) to tell us whether the excursions of the former premier have anything to do with his health condition," Rashid said in apparent reference to the said photos.

Dr Yasmin said she had talked to Sharif's personal physician twice during the previous day and told him that the bail given to his patient had been on humanitarian and health grounds. "Nawaz Sharif seems fine at the first glance," Rashid said. The health minister dismissed suggestions that the former premier had been out for a breath of fresh air, when the photos were taken, saying that "sick people do not go out to dine at restaurants for fresh air, unless the air at the restaurant has some special kind of oxygen". Dr Yasmin said ex-premier was allowed a tour abroad for medical treatment and not for visiting eateries and markets. She sarcastically said whether Maryam Nawaz would also go to restaurants to look after her ailing father in London.

Dr Yasmin said many voices in the media and political circles had criticised the government for risking Nawaz Sharif life when he was in Pakistan. He was allowed to leave the country on humanitarian grounds so that he could get treatment to his own satisfaction from the doctors who had treated him earlier in London. “Their plea in court for extension in bail is beyond understanding as complete reports are not being sent to us. It is even strange that a patient suffering from multiple serious complications is spotted roaming in restaurants. If his condition has seriously improved, he must come back and face courts legal proceedings,” the minister said. “In any case, the medical board has shared its observations with the relevant department. Mian Nawaz must share his true status or else the Home Department may take further necessary action in accordance with the law,” she added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Home Department has written a letter to the former prime minister and his physician Dr Adnan and Ata Tarar asking them to submit new reports within 24 hours.

Nawaz Sharif would be granted permission for further stay in light of the new reports. The department said it was not possible to infer Nawaz Sharif’s health from the previous reports. The new report would suggest whether he should be given permission for his treatment in London or US or otherwise.

To a question about cancer medicines, minister Yasmin Rashid said a third party evaluation of the arrangements made by former government and the company providing medicines was needed for the sake of transparency. “Our team of experts has engaged all stakeholders and all arrangements of supplies and prices are being reviewed. Meanwhile, medicines are available for patients.”

However, Nawaz Sharif’s personal physician Dr Adnan Khan on Tuesday said in London his patient’s latest medical report had been submitted to the government and sent directly to the minister and officials concerned. He took to Twitter and told that copies of Rubidium, Cardiac PET, CT Scan, Echocardiogram and Holter were attached to the medical report. He said the report had been prepared by Dr David Lawrence according to which Nawaz Sharif’s health can deteriorate if his angiography was not done immediately.

On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said Dr Yasmin Rashid’s press conference was held under pressure from Prime Minister Imran Khan, which was condemnable. She issued a statement on the social media and condemned the presser of Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid. She said the press conference was based on lies. Nawaz Sharif’s Rubidium PET scan was conducted on Tuesday. The health minister staged a political drama despite submission of Nawaz Sharif’s medical reports. Unfortunately, Imran Khan’s politics was limited to only Nawaz Sharif and his health, she added.

She offered Dr Yasmin to visit London if she wanted to check Nawaz Sharif’s health for herself. Instead of delivering press conferences, based on lies, she should focus on improving the quality of health in Punjab, Marriyum added.