Nawaz's condition stable, under control: NAB

Published October 22, 2019
After former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was shifted to Services Hospital late on Monday night, the National Accountability Bureau said that his condition was "under control" and dengue test results had appeared negative. — Photo provided by Adnan Sheikh
After former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was shifted to Services Hospital late on Monday night, the National Accountability Bureau said that his condition was "under control" and dengue test results had appeared negative. — Photo provided by Adnan Sheikh

After former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was shifted to Services Hospital late on Monday night, the National Accountability Bureau said his condition was "under control" and dengue test results were negative.

In a press release issued by NAB Lahore following the former premier's visit to the hospital, the accountability watchdog said that Nawaz's platelets had decreased "allegedly due to provision of medicine which makes blood thin that was suggested by Dr Adnan Khan, who is his personal physician".

The accountability watchdog said Nawaz had been shifted to Services Hospital for a complete medical check and in order to increase his platelet levels.

"A team of doctors have been deputed to provide him round the clock medical facilities without fail," the press release stated, adding that his physician had spent three hours with Nawaz on Monday.

"Therefore, the impression being given in media that NAB has not given him permission to see Nawaz Sharif is not correct and totally baseless. Media is requested to kindly avoid spreading speculations without consulting [NAB's] spokesman," the bureau clarified.

Visiting Services Hospital today, PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif said: "We [Sharif family] and doctors are very worried that [Nawaz's] platelets reached 15,000 level while the normal level is 150,000 to 400,000."

"It is very concerning that [Nawaz's] platelets dropped so fast," he added.

Following his arrest in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, the former premier had been shifted from Kot Lakhpat jail (where he is serving seven-year imprisonment in Al-Azizia case) to NAB’s Lahore building. The bureau obtained his physical remand till Oct 25.

On Monday evening, Dr Adnan Khan had raised alarm about the former premier's deteriorating health, urging the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government to immediately shift him to a hospital for treatment.

A number of party workers had gathered outside the NAB office late on Monday evening demanding that the concerned authorities shift their leader to a hospital.

Shahbaz had also issued a statement, demanding the Punjab government to shift his brother to the hospital without further delay.

"The medical reports of Nawaz Sharif by the government show that his condition is very serious. It is a callous attitude of the PTI government that despite his worsening health condition he is not being shifted to hospital," he said, warning the prime minister of consequences if anything happened to Nawaz.

"Imran Khan Niazi will be responsible if anything happens to Nawaz Sharif," he had declared.

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said fresh medical reports showed that the party leader’s condition was 'very serious' and required immediate hospitalisation.

"By depriving Nawaz Sharif of medical treatment, Imran Khan cannot hide his incompetence and lies," she had said.

A few months ago, two government hospitals had denied a specialised cardiac ambulance facility for emergency medical cover to the former premier in the Central Jail.

Read: Nawaz’s health concerns: Two hospitals express inability to provide specialised ambulance

The Punjab prisons department had requested the health higher-ups to provide a fully-equipped ambulance to station it in the jail to shift him to any hospital in case of any emergency, but it was denied. The request was submitted on finding that the ambulance made available in the jail was not well equipped.

A specialised cardiac ambulance is equipped with a defibrillator, cardiac monitor, ventilator and ECG machine. A defibrillator helps save a life by giving a high-energy electric shock to a patient's heart in case of a cardiac arrest.

Additional reporting by Zulqernain Tahir and Adnan Sheikh

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