Bilawal to meet Nawaz in jail tomorrow

LAHORE: The Punjab Home Department has granted permission to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to meet Nawaz Sharif at Kot Lakhpat jail, The News has learnt.

The Pakistan People’s Party chairman would meet former prime minister along with party leaders Qamar Zaman Kaira, Mustafa Khokhar and Jameel Soomro on Monday between 2pm to 4pm.

On Saturday, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira had submitted a request to the provincial government on behalf of Bilawal Bhutto, saying the PPP chief wanted to meet Nawaz Sharif in jail to inquire about his health. “It would be appreciated if you could kindly manage the visit for today,” it was stated in the letter.

Meanwhile, a state-of-the-art mobile medical unit was sent to Kot Lakhpat Jail on Saturday on the orders of Punjab chief minister.

A spokesperson Dr Shahbaz Gill said Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, on the request of Maryam Nawaz, directed the Punjab government to allocate a mobile cardiac unit for 24 hours for Kot Lakhpat Jail. He said doctors and technicians of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) would remain present in the mobile unit in three shifts. He said all life-saving facilities which were needed in case of any emergency were available in the mobile unit.

PIC Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Amir was also present.

The spokesperson said the PML-N was doing politics on the health of Nawaz Sharif, which was regrettable.

He said the PTI believed in justice and equal treatment with every citizen. The Punjab government is providing all possible facilities to Nawaz Sharif as per jail rules, he said adding that he had conveyed the message of prime minister and chief minister in his meeting with Nawaz Sharif.

Agencies add: The Punjab government is ready to provide medical facilities from any private or public sector hospital of his choice and, in this regard, a letter has been sent in which all options have been given.

He said Nawaz Sharif was waiting for his bail after that he wanted to go abroad for treatment, but the Punjab government had no authority on this matter, as his case is in courts.

Earlier on Saturday, Nawaz once again refused to be shifted to a hospital from jail. PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif met his elder brother in jail and was told that he was taken to Services Hospital, PIC and Jinnah Hospital where doctors said that they have just been asked to determine how ill he was. “Doctors said that they cannot provide me with treatment as they do not have the mandate for it,” Nawaz was quoted as telling Shahbaz.