ISLAMABAD, Nov 13 (APP): The government has granted one-time permission for a period of four-weeks to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for his treatment.
This was announced by Law Minister Farogh Naseem, while addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday. He said this permission will be subject to the Sharif family submitting an indemnity bond “to the tune of Rs7-7.5 billion”.
Naseem is speaking after chairing a consultative meeting of the cabinet’s sub-committee held to finalise its recommendations on the matter of removing Nawaz’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
He said the permission is “not conditional to anyone’s consent” and has been granted to fulfil the government’s obligations in view of Nawaz’s “adverse critical medical condition”.
He said the interior ministry had received an application from PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif for the removal of Nawaz’s name from the no-fly list. Along with the plea, a detailed medical report from Sharif Medical City hospital was also submitted. It was cross-checked and on November 10, the Punjab medical board in its report agreed with the report of the Sharif Medical City, Naseem added.
He said the report highlighted that Nawaz has a blood disorder, while his platelet count was around 25,000 when it should have been around 150,000 or above. He had also suffered a stroke.
“On November 12, we held three meetings and the sub-committee informed the cabinet that Nawaz Sharif’s medical condition is very serious,” he said, noting that besides the blood platelets issue, Nawaz suffers from numerous cardiac issues and has undergone six heart procedures in which seven stents were inserted. Naseem quoted doctors as saying that when they attempt to treat Nawaz’s platelet count issues, other complications including those related to his heart arise.
The law minister acknowledged that the committee members had not known that the former premier’s condition is “so adverse”, and once apprised of the same, the federal cabinet voted in favour of allowing Nawaz to travel abroad with a “thumping majority”.
However, he said, the cabinet members agreed that the permission will be “one time” and will be subject to the Sharif family submitting an indemnity bond.
Naseem said the permission will be formally issued to the Sharif family shortly. “It is up to them how they take the matter forward,” he added.
The sub-committee meeting was also attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar. Naseem had earlier said once a decision is taken, media and the public would be briefed.
VNS, Islamabad
