Ready to send Nawaz to NICVD for treatment: Yasmeen Rashid

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid on Monday said the government was ready to send deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi, ARY News reported.

Talking to media along with Chief Spokesperson of Chief Minister of Punjab Dr Shahbaz Gill, Yasmeen Rashid said the Punjab government had made no negligence, but they could not do anything until the patient himself was agreed for treatment.

“We have never played politics on anybody’s illness. Nawaz Sharif can go anywhere in Pakistan for medical assistance,” she said.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has in a meeting on Monday offered Mian Sharif treatment at the NICVD, which was confirmed by Shahbaz Gill. However, Gill said, about 150 doctors were available at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) and around 45,000 cardiac patients were treated every year.

“I only want to tell Mian Sahib that he is in a very safe province. Still, if he wants to go to Sindh for medical treatment, we will not become a hurdle,” he said.

Following his meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-N supremo at Kot Lakhpat jail, Bilawal demanded from the government to ensure the provision of medical facilities to ailing former PM of his own choice.

Talking to journalists outside the jail, the PPP chairman insisted that it was completely a non-political meeting as he only arrived to inquire after ailing Nawaz Sharif following speculations circulating around regarding his health condition.

“Every human has some cultural values despite having political differences, while our religion teaches us to inquire about the health of a person who is suffering from a disease.”