In line with the federal cabinet’s decision, the Punjab government on Friday has formed a medical board to examine Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s health reports submitted in Lahore High Court (LHC).
Punjab government spokesperson Hassan Khawar confirmed that a notification has been issued in this regard, according to which the medical board comprises of Dr Mohammad Arif Nadeem, Dr Ghias-un-Nabi Tayyab, Dr Saqib Saeed, Dr Shahid Hameed, Dr Bilal S Mohi-ud-din, Dr Ambreen Hamid, Dr Shafiq-ur-Rehman, Dr Moona Aziz, and Dr Khadija Irfan.
The board has been directed to submit its report/expert medical opinion to the specialised healthcare secretary within five days.
Earlier this week the attorney general’s office asked the Punjab government to consider establishing a medical board or a committee that could determine the current status of Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
In a two-page letter, addressed to Punjab Home Secretary Zafar Nasrullah Khan, the attorney general’s office wrote: “In order to initiate the process of verification in the light of the Nov 16, 2019, Lahore High Court order, the government of Punjab is requested to constitute a medical board/committee to examine the documents submitted as medical reports on behalf of the petitioner and Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif so that expert medical opinion regarding the physical condition of Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and his ability to travel back to Pakistan is made available.”
The letter was written in line with the federal cabinet’s instructions to the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan to initiate proceedings against the Sharif family.
The letter pointed out that Nawaz Sharif’s “apparent present physical condition was available in the media”.
“Given the fact that he had left the country claiming to be in extreme critical condition which prima facie improved significantly after his arrival in London and the fact that he has apparently never been hospitalised and his political, social and other recreational activities have continued uninterrupted… indicate that severe ailment, if any, that may have existed in [the] past is no longer evident or [constrains] his activities,” the letter said.
Nawaz Sharif had left for the United Kingdom (UK) in November 2019 after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week bail for his treatment.
