LAHORE: The Punjab government on Friday constituted a third special medical board to examine former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

“On the recommendations of the medical board of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) for evaluation of the health condition of National Accountability Bureau convicted prisoner Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, a special medical board is constituted for examination and management of the prisoner,” says a notification of the Punjab Home Department issued here.

This medical board comprises Dr Hamid Sharif Khan and Dr Mohammad Talha bin Nazir, assistant professors in the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology; Professor Dr Shahid Hameed and Dr Sajjad Ahmad of the PIC; Brigadier Abdul Hameed Siddique, classified cardiologist of the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, and Brigadier Azmat Hayat, classified electrophysiologist of the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi.

Punjab minister rejects Sharifs’ worries about ex-PM’s health, claims reports of 10 of his 11 medical tests are normal

Earlier, two special medical boards of the Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, and the PIC, Lahore, examined Mr Sharif, 69, in Kot Lakhpat jail last week.

The AIMC/Jinnah Hospital board had recommended that Mr Sharif should be shifted to hospital for “optimal treatment”.

The board said: “Given uncontrolled BP, stage 3 CKD with estimated GFR of 50 ml/min, borderline raised troponin T level with significant history of ischemic heart disease and suboptimal care, Nawaz Sharif will benefit from hospitalisation so that optimal management and cardiac assessment can be initiated,” it said.

The board said Mr Sharif with past medical history of hypertension, T2 diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and CABGH, kidney stone disease complained about post nasal drip, bilateral arm, shoulder pain and some dyspnoea on exertion.

“On physical examination he was found to have BP 200/110 mm Hg. Morning blood pressure medicines were not taken and BP decreased to 160/90 mm Hg after tablet concor and dozar were given, heart rate 64 /min oxygen saturation of 98 per cent with clear chest, normal cardiac, abdominal examination and no pitting edema on lower extremities.”

Mr Sharif is serving a seven-year imprisonment awarded to him in the Al-Azizia Steels Mills case.

VIP protocol

Meanwhile, while rejecting the claims of the Sharif family that Nawaz Sharif is facing serious health problems in Kot Lakhpat jail, Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan claims that results of 10 out of 11 medical tests conducted recently of the former prime minister have turned out to be normal.

“The House of Sharif must stop telling lies [about Nawaz Sharif’s health] as reports of 10 out of total medical tests conducted on him recently reveal that his condition is normal,” the minister told reporters outside the Punjab Assembly building on Friday.

He said he had in his possession Mr Sharif’s medical reports which showed his health condition as quite normal, adding that he wasn’t making the claim on the basis of hearsay.

He told a questioner that despite being ‘high-profile convict’ the VIP protocol Mr Sharif was enjoying in jail might not have been extended even to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

“The PML-N told lies before the Supreme Court as well as the masses. They’re telling lies everywhere. Mian Sahib is extended full protocol, while he also avails the facility of home-cooked food.”

Rejecting the claims of Maryam Nawaz and the PML-N media cell regarding the facilities being given to the former prime minister, the minister said a friend told him that Mr Sharif was even once provided his favourite food brought in from London. There were no restrictions of any kind on the former prime minister, he added.

In reply to a question, Mr Chohan said the Punjab government had no reservations if a judicial commission was formed on the Sahiwal tragedy.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2019