The ongoing ailment of PML-N Quaid and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has remained under the scanner since he left the country under a rumored ‘deal.’  From PM Imran Khan to his advisors, and from the general public to medical professionals, even sceptics of Sharif were surprised to see how the supposedly critically ill former premier’s health suddenly improved so significantly soon after landing in London —  and that too without treatment at any of the hospitals in the UK. Since November 2019 to date, Sharif has never been admitted to any hospital in Britain.

So the question is, what happened in 2019, due to which Sharif’s platelet count dropped to a precariously low 2000, forcing the regime to take the extraordinary step of allowing its biggest political rival and a convict to travel abroad for treatment.

Medical experts believe this might have occurred due to one of three scenarios: first, that the former Prime Minister was actually ill, second, that he was given specific medicines to show a low platelet count, or third, that something was mixed into the blood samples drawn from him to manipulate his reports. These experts contend that the third one was the most probable of the scenarios and merits a thorough investigation.

“A person with such a low platelet count could not recover within days, and that too without any treatment. Giving medicines to actually drop platelets is really dangerous. As such, the third possibility is the most likely,” said a senior doctor who asked not to be named. He said the manipulation of Sharif’s blood samples when he was at the Services Hospital in 2019 is the most plausible of the causes suggested for his low platelet count. “There are around 30 medicines which, if mixed in blood samples, can manipulate the results,” he added. He also pointed a finger at the various laboratories from which the results were obtained. “The results of the reports of Nawaz Sharif’s platelet count were almost the same from all the three labs involved, including the Services Hospital, Chughtai and Shaukat Khanum,” he said, adding that this could only be possible if the samples were ‘managed or manipulated.’

However, although the present regime had raised suspicion about Sharif’s medical condition,  it never formed any committee to investigate the matter.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Political Communication, Shahbaz Gill, had voiced such suspicion back in August 2020. Addressing a press conference, Gill had declared that Sharif’s medical reports were fake. He also claimed that the chemical Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was used after the blood draw to show less platelets. “Nawaz Sharif told a lie in this regard, sent incomplete reports thrice and deceived the government,” he said, adding, “Now we have to see who tampered with Sharif’s medical reports.”

It merits mention here that it was a Special Medical Board, formed by the Punjab Government for the treatment of the former premier, which had recommended Sharif’s treatment abroad in view of his worsening condition. “He (Nawaz Sharif) may be allowed to shift abroad to a centre of excellence of his choice at his own risk,” ruled the 14-member Special Medical Board headed by Professor Dr Mahmood Ayyaz, a  former principal of the SIMS/SHL.

Punjab Health Minister Professor Dr Yasmin Rashid had regularly monitored Sharif’s treatment at the Services Hospital in Lahore and declared his condition “extremely precarious” on several occasions. And on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, a team of medics from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH), led by CEO Dr Faisal Sultan had also visited Nawaz Sharif during his treatment at the Services Hospital in November 2019 and apprised the premier of the condition of his biggest political rival. Thus, it was various ‘reliable sources’ who convinced Khan to allow Sharif to travel abroad.

The government recently formed a nine-member medical board, with a mandate to comment on Sharif’s eight latest reports submitted in the Lahore High Court related to his treatment in London. This board was constituted on the recommendations of the federal cabinet. The government apparently wants to proceed against Shahbaz Sharif for submitting a ‘false’ affidavit in the Lahore High Court to help his elder brother escape abroad.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that Nawaz Sharif’s proceeding abroad on the pretext of medical reasons was an “utter fraud,” and that he had been living in London for 17 months without any treatment. He added that the Punjab Government has rejected all the medical reports submitted by the Sharif family. The Minister also claimed that the Pakistan Embassy in London had attempted to contact the Sharif family twice, but it did not cooperate.

According to Chaudhry, the younger Sharif was fully involved in the elder Sharif’s escape and his false affidavit is ground enough for the government to ask the court to disqualify the PML-N president. “He should also be bound to bring his brother back as per his promise,” added Chaudhry.

However, at this juncture, there seems to be no possibility of Nawaz Sharif’s return. That will not be likely until the current dispensation remains at the helm. A senior leader of the PML-N, on grounds of anonymity, said exactly this, telling Bol News that there is currently no likelihood of Sharif’s return. “I can say with certainty that Mian sahib will not return from London any time soon,” he maintained. He added, “Until a new [army] chief  is appointed and the next general elections are announced, forget the return of the former premier. Why would he choose to come back when he knows he will go straight to Adiala Jail?” So he disclosed, Nawaz Sharif is keenly waiting for either a change at the helm, or for an understanding between the establishment and the PML-N.

Commenting on the claims by the PTI that Sharif’s medical reports were fake or manipulated, the senior PML-N leader said the burden to prove as much lies squarely on the government, since it was the medical board constituted by them and doctors appointed by them overseeing Sharif’s treatment.

And, he added, if Nawaz Sharif escaped by  manipulating the system, then questions arise as to whether Dr Yasmin Rashid and Dr Faisal Sultan were part of the conspiracy against their own government.

Talking to Bol News, senior leader and Secretary General of the PML-N, Ahsan Iqbal said the government had allowed Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad on medical grounds. “Even Yasmin Rashid and Faisal Sultan had said that the reports were genuine and the former premier needed emergency treatment abroad,” he maintained. Ahsan Iqbal contended that Shahbaz Sharif had given an undertaking on the grounds that whenever his elder brother was  medically fit and his doctors allowed him to travel, he would return to Pakistan. He said the Lahore High Court had stated that the government could contact Sharif’s doctors through the British High Commission to get updates on his health, but nobody had ever contacted his doctors.

Iqbal continued that the government had created this fuss about Sharif’s health only to divert attention from key domestic issues, including the price hike, unemployment, the country’s worst ever economic situation, the mini budget, etc. He also maintained that

Nawaz Sharif’s case does not fall under the ambit of the agreement being worked out between UK and Pakistan, as he had gone to Britain for medical reasons with the permission of the government.

Moreover, the senior PML – N politician declared that initially the PML-N Quaid had fallen ill due to dehydration. “Even his personal doctor Dr Adnan Khan wasn’t allowed to see him when he was in the custody of NAB in Lahore, due to which his condition further deteriorated and his platelet count started depleting.” He added Nawaz Sharif is an asset not only for the party but for the country, and that is  why the party has advised him not to come back until he gets fully fit. “We don’t want to take any risk with the health of the former premier,” he stated.

Renowned lawyer Burhan Moazzam Malik maintained the Lahore High Court can take action against Shahbaz Sharif as he had guaranteed the return of his brother from abroad. He said the Court can summon him to record his statement before initiating criminal proceedings against him under Article 476 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). However,  Malik said Shahbaz Sharif cannot be convicted for contempt of court in this case.

The senior lawyer further observed that in the country’s judicial history not a single        convict had ever been granted bail merely on an affidavit. He said the court should have set the penalty for the guarantor if he failed to fulfill his promise.

Readmission Treaty is finalised: Shahzad Akbar

Q: What are the options for the government to bring Nawaz Sharif back?

A: Several options are being considered. Apart from deportation and extradition options, a Readmission Treaty is being finalised with the UK, under which all those Pakistanis living in the Kingdom violating visa restrictions and overstaying will be returned to Pakistan.

Q: Does Nawaz Sharif’s case fall in that domain?

A: Right now, Nawaz Sharif is facing visa and overstay issues in the UK and if his pending appeal is rejected by the court then they have to send him back under the new treaty being worked out.

Q: What do you say about Nawaz Sharif’s medical reports, were they fake or manipulated?

A: I don’t want to comment on speculation. I will only say something about this matter after seeing the evidence.

Q: Why was Nawaz Sharif allowed to travel abroad?

A: In 2019, we had formed a medical board which opined that the former PM was seriously ill. That’s why we gave him one-time permission to travel abroad for treatment. Now, another board has said that his London reports submitted in the court were not complete, so we’re looking into this matter.