LAHORE: Punjab health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said both the PML-N and the PPP are doing politics on the health of former premier Nawaz Sharif.

“Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s statement that his father is not being taken care of, is just a political statement,” she said at a huridly called news conference here on Monday, the day PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called on imprisoned Sharif at the Kot Lakhpat Jail and later told the media that the ailing ex-premier should be provided medical care of his own choice.

The health minister said Mr Sharif was being provided state-of-the-art healthcare facilities on the instructions of the prime minister and Punjab chief minister.

She said the 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, neither any other facility in the country, but 200 million Pakistanis are getting treatment at the available facilities,” she said.

Flanked by chief minister’s spokesman Dr Shahbaz Gill, Ms Rashid said Mr Sharif was being prescribed medicines by Punjab’s senior most cardiologists and the patient’s personal physician Dr Adnan.

Dr Gill said the Punjab’s senior most doctors told Mr Sharif that the PIC and the RIC had state-of-the-art equipment and expert doctors. Every year, he said, some 60,000 Pakistanis get treated at the RIC and 45,000 patients at the PIC.

Responding to a question about Khurshid Shah’s statement, Dr Gill said there was only one doctor for 3,500 persons in Sindh.

He added 40 per cent children and 60pc women were facing food shortage in the province being rule by the PPP and added that over 500 children had died in Thar last year for want of food.

“Khurshid Shah is an elderly person but doesn’t talk according to his age,” he said and added that Mr Shah should worry about providing healthcare facilities to the people of Sindh than doing politics on Nawaz Sharif’s health.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2019