A photo that went viral on social media appears to show PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Shahbaz and Ishaq Dar at a London restaurant.— File
On Monday, a picture of Nawaz at a London restaurant along with some members of his family was circulated on social media.
Rashid said that after she saw the picture of the former premier at the restaurant she called his personal physician Dr Adnan Khan.
"On the one hand, you say he is in a very critical condition [...] then tell us, is it a part of it that you are socialising? Is it a part of the treatment?"
The provincial health minister said that the PML-N was seeking an application for Nawaz's daughter Maryam Nawaz to go and care of her father.
"Where will she take care of him? At a restaurant? You take care of a person who is bedridden, which he is not, according to them, he was moving around."
Rashid said that responding to them (PML-N) in a letter, the government has said, as per the report of the medical board, the "documents provided are not sufficient to form a conclusive opinion".
The provincial minister added that the home department had directly written a letter to Nawaz on Monday in which it had said: "I am directed to intimate that the special medical board under the convenership of Dr Muhammad Ayaz [...] examined the medical document and concluded that the medical reports are not conclusive to form any medical opinion.
"The most recent laboratory and imaging reports have to be sought from your doctor," the letter stated. Rashid said she had reiterated the same to Dr Adnan Khan.
As per Rashid, the letter stated: "You are required to provide the latest medical report within 48 hours as it has been stated in recent media reports that you seem to be in good health and socialising also."
Meanwhile, Dr Adnan Khan shared Nawaz's medical reports, dated January 13, on Twitter along with copies of various scans of the former premier.
Khan said the reports were submitted to government authorities as well directly to the relevant minister and officials.
Later in the day, prime minister's aide Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the "government has not received officially stamped, authentic and certified reports [which] had been tweeted".
While briefing the press about the federal cabinet meeting, Awan said that the Punjab government had written to the Sharif family to send updates of Nawaz's "latest health situation" within 48 hours.
'Political spectacle'
Reacting to Rashid's press conference, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the provincial health minister "should go to London herself" if she wants to check on Nawaz's health.
"What was the point of staging a political spectacle?" Aurangzeb said in a statement, adding: "Yasmeen Rashid held a press conference based on lies under pressure from Imran sahib."
Aurangzeb said that a medical board, which was being headed by Rashid had advised the former premier to travel abroad for medical treatment and that the Punjab health minister had signed Nawaz's reports herself. She further said that Nawaz's health reports were being sent to the Punjab government and the court regularly as per judicial orders.
The PML-N spokesperson urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to "focus on public health as Nawaz Sharif's health was in safe hands".
Questions over Nawaz's health
Amid bickering between the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and PML-N, on November 19, 2019, Nawaz reached London for medical treatment.
Yesterday, a picture of the former premier at a restaurant along with his son Hasan Nawaz, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, his son Salman Shehbaz and former finance minister Ishaq Dar was shared on social media.
Federal Science Minister Fawad Chaudhry uploaded the leaked photo on Twitter. Making a satirical comment, Chaudhry said: "In London’s intensive care unit, the treatment against plundering is underway and all patients present (there) are feeling better."
The picture was also reportedly discussed at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad.
Speaking to reporters in London, Hussain Nawaz, while commenting on criticism being levelled against his father, said Nawaz had been confined to his house and to hospital visits, but that during the Christmas vacation his hospital visits were not possible.
"The report submitted in LHC says that doctors have advised him to walk twice a day. But despite this advice, Mian sahib could not walk as he experienced shortness of breath and palpitations.
"Yesterday (Sunday) around 4:30pm the family told him you must leave the house and after great persuasion, he agreed. We took him out for a walk and for a breath of fresh air. It is unfortunate that it is being given a political twist. This is part of his treatment. This is why Pakistan’s courts have allowed him to travel abroad for treatment," he said.