ISLAMABAD: Polyclinic doctors have said that Faryal Talpur, sister of former president Asif Ali Zardari, is recovering and may be discharged today (Sunday).

Polyclinic Executive Director Dr Shuaib Khan told Dawn Ms Talpur was dehydrated, because of which she had an electrolyte imbalance. He said she could have been discharged Saturday morning, but her sodium level was 128, where as the normal level is 135.

“It was decided to keep her in the hospital and we will carry out another test on Sunday to check her sodium level,” he said.

He said doctors were hopeful that she would be completely healthy, after which she can be sent to Adiala Jail.

Ms Talpur was brought to Polyclinic on Friday from National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The Islamabad chief commissioner declared her ward to be a ‘sub-jail’, and NAB officials and police were deployed in the ward and outside the hospital, respectively.

Ms Talpur has been sent to jail on a judicial remand and will be taken back to Adiala once she is discharged from the hospital.

She was arrested in June in connection with a case pertaining to alleged money laundering through fake accounts.

PPP Secretary General Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and other party leaders tried to visit Ms Talpur at the hospital on Saturday but were not permitted to see her by NAB and jail officials. In a statement issued later, Mr Bukhari said people have a right to information on the health of their relatives and people they are close to.

“I reached there to inquire about the health of Ms Talpur, who is the sister of former president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari and a member of the Sindh Assembly. However, I was not allowed to see her. Unfortunately, the rulers have been trying to show that they can do whatever they want but the fact is that they have lost moral values,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2019