Nawaz’ London travel for treatment delayed

LAHORE: While former premier Nawaz Sharif’s travel abroad for treatment in a specialised health facility in London has been delayed for unspecified period of time, the special medical board, constituted by the Punjab government, has once again recommended patient’s treatment abroad due to non-availability of certain tests in the country.

The board, headed by Prof Dr Mahmood Ayyaz, principal of Services Institute of Medical Sciences/ Services Hospital Lahore (SIMS/SHL), met twice on Sunday night and Monday. The board members unanimously recommended Nawaz Sharif’s treatment abroad, requiring further diagnosis to ascertain the root-cause of his ailment. The medical board was asked about the details of non-availability of tests in Pakistan. The Punjab Health Department, after getting details from the medical board, would appraise the interior ministry about the health details of Nawaz Sharif through a circular.

Dr Adnan Khan, Nawaz Sharif’s personal physician, also confirmed that combined opinion of the medical board consisting of members from the Services Institute of Medical Science and the Sharif Medical City unanimously endorsed the opinion that former PM should travel abroad to a centre of excellence for definitive diagnosis and treatment. “Any delay would compound the risk,” Dr Adnan expressed his concern in a twitter message on Monday. Nawaz Sharif was supposed to travel abroad on an air ambulance on Monday, but his departure was delayed due to inclusion of his name in the no-fly list.

The federal cabinet is likely to take up the matter on Tuesday (today) to decide about sending Nawaz Sharif abroad after National Accountability Bureau (NAB) asked the federal government to use its discretionary powers to remove Nawaz name from the Exit Control List (ECL).