Nawaz wants to go abroad under the guise of treatment: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Tuesday claimed that former jailed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wanted to go abroad under the guise of medical treatment.

She was talking to the media at the Lahore High Court after a meeting with Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan along with all three secretaries of the health department. The purpose of the meeting was to put a request before the chief justice for early disposal of health sector-related cases.

Responding to media queries, Ms Rashid said the government was ready to provide medical treatment to Mr Sharif at any hospital of his choice in Pakistan. She said doctors and other medical staff had been available for Mr Sharif in the jail. She pointed out that Prime Minister Imran Khan had also offered the former premier to get medical treatment at any hospital of the country or to invite any doctor from outside the country. However, she claimed that Mr Sharif wanted to go abroad in the name of medical treatment.

The health minster maintained that the government would implement any order passed by the Supreme Court on a bail petition of Mr Sharif on medical grounds.

quack centres sealed: The Punjab Healthcare Commission has closed down 36 quack centres during the last two days.

The PHC enforcement teams had visited 187 treatment centres in Nosheran Virkan (Gujranwala), Mian Channu (Khanewal), Okara and Nankana Sahib, where respectively 11, 10, eight and seven quack centres were sealed.

In all these cities, around 46 centres were visited by the PHC teams. As per the census, 84 centres of quacks were found to have been converted into other businesses.