PML-N walks out: Nawaz’ health condition echoes in PA

Author: Hassaan Ahmed

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz staged a protest in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday over what its MPAs said that the party’s supreme leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif isn’t getting proper treatment by the Punjab government despite the fact that he is facing multiple health issues these days in the jail. As the session started on Wednesday, former Speaker and now an MPA of PML-N Rana Iqbal said on a point of order that Nawaz Sharif has served as Prime Minister for three times while he also remained a member of this House but still he is not getting proper health facilities by the Punjab government. “Nawaz Sharif is the leader who made Pakistan an atomic power but he doesn’t have basic health facilities these days as he remained unable to undergo with his angiography in last 59 days,” said Iqbal while asking the Chair to direct the concerned authorities for proper arrangements of Sharif’s treatment.

Meanwhile, speaking on a point of order, former minister for health Khawaja Imran Nazir said that if any unfortunate incident happens with Nawaz Sharif then this government and Imran Khan would be responsible. He further added that Nawaz Sharif got over 12.9 million votes but the incumbent government has made his illness as a joke. “The chairman of Punjab Institute of Cardiology has recommended an angiography for Sharif but he was shifted back to the Kot Lakhpat Jail where he isn’t feeling well,” he said. The MPAs of PML-N including Azma Bokhari, Khalil Tahir Sandhu and Kh Salman Rafique stood at their benches while chanting slogans against the government. “Sharam Kro Haya Kro…… Nawaz Sharif ko Reha kro and Lathi Goli Ki Sarkra….Nhi chlay gi Nhi chlay gi” slogans were chanted by the PML-N and then they all walked out from the House in protest.

Opp protests over poor health condition of former PM

Speaking in the absence of PML-N, minister for law and parliamentary affairs Raja Basharat termed the walkout of PML-N as undemocratic as he said that the opposition should also listen the point of view of the government. “We came to know yesterday that Nawaz Sharif isn’t feeling well and then the Home Department issued a notification to shift him to hospital from the Jail but he refused to go to the hospital,” said Raja. How strange this prisoner is who wants prison and treatment of his own wish, said the law minister. He further added that Nawaz Sharif also wants verdicts of courts of his own wish in the same way he is asking for treatment. Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari who was chairing the session said that PIC is a good hospital for heart diseases as he himself has an experience to get treatment from the hospital. Perhaps, Nawaz Sharif wants to get his treatment from aboard, said the Chair.

Govt terms Opp’s conduct as undemocratic

Some other ministers also criticized the PML-N and its leadership while claiming that Nawaz Sharif wants some relaxation from the cases he is facing in the name of ‘treatment’. Provincial minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal said that the PML-N is making hue and cry because of its political death that is very close. They are boycotting the assembly session because their corruption cases have started surfacing, he said. Criticizing the last government of PML-N, the minister said that they didn’t bother to build hospitals and kept spending funds on building roads and bridges just because of kickbacks that they got through the development projects.

The opposition didn’t come back to the House and government passed a bill of ‘Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology DG Khan’ in the absence of opposition. The session was later adjourned to meet again on Thursday morning.

Published in Daily Times, March 7^th2019.