Medical board recommends 2 surgeries on Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The government’s constituted medical board has recommended two surgeries, provision of hygienic and comfortable environment, provision of an inverter AC and access to home- cooked meals to former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is in Adiala Prison, Rawalpindi, in a NAB case.

His counsel has urged for his examination by a doctor of his own choice, and at a hospital of his own choice (at his own expenses) so that the treatment can be planned according to the prognosis. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is also senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has been denied facilities which are entitled to any detainee of his calibre in the judicial lock up and the authorities concerned have discarded the medical advice pertaining to medicines, food and other cares to him that could cause grave concern for his life.

Shahid Abbasi has approached the court though his counsel Barrister Zafarullah Khan and his sister Ms Saadia Abbasi Barrister at Law Advocate for provision of a computer/printer for his own use. He wants to work on his case. This facility was available to him during NAB custody. The lawyers asked for facilitation of his meeting with all the accused in the case, along-with their lawyers, in jail on the same day to coordinate their preparation for the case.

The lawyers of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have urged for provision of the medical report of the Medical Board, constituted by the jail authorities, to Shahid Abbasi, and his lawyers, so that the future course of action can be prepared as regards his medical condition.

They have asked for permission of his meeting with the other co-accused in jail as he is in isolation. The plaint has reminded that when the lawyers submitted the “Application for Provision of Requisite Facilities…”, amongst other things, Shahid Abbasi’s medical condition was also clearly stated in the said Application.

They have requested the court to pass an order directing the provision of all such facilities as per the entitlement of a person of his rank and stature. The said order also referred to the directions of Justice Mazahir Naqvi of the Lahore High Court provision of such facilities to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

“We also wrote to the IG prisons and the Home Secretary, Punjab, the implementation of the said orders. Then this Learned Court was apprised through another Application (for access to lawyers) that no such facilities had been provided to him, and he is also not allowed home-cooked meals. All the orders issued, and directions given, went un-heeded by the jail authorities,” the counsel maintained.

The counsel contended that their apprehensions about his health have been proven correct by the report of the Medical Board, as his health has deteriorated due to lack of provision of requisite facilities. The medical board has recommended two surgeries, provision of hygienic and comfortable environment, provision of an inverter AC and access to home cooked meals. We want him examined by a doctor of his own choice, and at a hospital of his own choice (at his own expense) so that the treatment can be planned according to the prognosis. We also re-iterate that the facilities as per his rank and status be provided to him, and as recommended by the Medical Board.