Interior ministry seeks details of Nawaz Sharif's medical treatment in UK

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has sought details of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's medical treatment in the United Kingdom. 

A letter by the interior ministry written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought details of the following:

(a) Current diagnosis by the medical doctors; 

(b) Name and address of doctors under whom [Nawaz Sharif is] receiving medical treatment; 

(c) Copies of all the medical reports, including tests, undertaken in the UK with results of the tests;

(d) Details of treatment (if any) received in the UK hospitals; 

(e) Details of ongoing treatment (if any); 

(f) Details of payments made for medical treatment in the UK; and 

(g) Dates of visits and consultations made with doctors in the UK. 

The ministry's move comes in pursuance of the Lahore High Court's November 16, 2019 verdict and the undertakings provided by Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif before the court.

The letter called upon Nawaz Sharif to sign an attached consent form for the release of medical information to the Pakistan High Commission in London.

"The [high commission] who will then contact the medical team for collection of medical information," read the letter, reminding all parties concerned that the former premier had agreed to provide medical information to the government according to the Lahore High Court's judgement cited above. 

Nawaz Sharif asks for renewal of passport

Nawaz Sharif wrote to the Pakistan High Commission in London on February 15, 2021, for the renewal of his diplomatic passport.

Sources in London confirmed that a letter related to the matter from the former Pakistan Prime Minister, who has been living in the UK for the last 16 months, arrived just a day before the expiry of his diplomatic passport on February  16, 2021.

Nawaz Sharif addressed his letter to the Pakistani High Commissioner Moazzam Ahmed Khan. Nawaz Sharif wrote: “As you may be aware that February 16, 2021, is the expiry date of my diplomatic passport number BV5128363.”

The former PM requested the High Commissioner to “take all the steps necessary in accordance with the rules and regulations to issue a new diplomatic passport”.

Diplomatic sources said that the Pakistan High Commission in London wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) requesting advice. The diplomatic source said that the MOFA forwarded the letter to the Ministry of Interior (MOI), from where the response 'leaked' to the media.

Interior Ministry tells MoFA to not process Nawaz Sharif's application for passport renewal

In another letter, the interior ministry has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs against processing the passport renewal application of Nawaz Sharif, stating that he has been declared an absconder and proclaimed offender by the Islamabad High Court in the Toshakhana reference as well as a reference of the National Accountability Burea (NAB).  

"Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is thereby required to return to Pakistan and appear before the relevant courts to face charges. He, being a fugitive of law and absconder, cannot seek any further relief unless he surrenders before the courts in Pakistan," reads the letter. 

The interior ministry said Nawaz was allowed bail by the LHC for eight weeks in the form of suspension of his sentence. However, the Punjab government did not extend the bail after the time period expired since Nawaz had failed to provide "reasonable cause". 

"Sharif is now required to serve the remainder of his sentence at Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore. Yet, rather than obeying the dictates of the court and abiding by the conditions precedent in the bail granting order, he fled the country to avoid prosecution," stated the letter.  

Lahore High Court's verdict

The LHC had allowed the government to remove Nawaz's name from the Exit Control List (ECL) without any conditions for a time period of four weeks, after which the PML-N supremo left for London. 

The LHC had declared the plea admissible regarding the removal of former premier Sharif’s name from the ECL on a conditional basis — the government had said it would allow a 'one-time permission' provided Nawaz Sharif deposited surety bonds worth Rs7-7.5 billion.

In its decision, the LHC said that in case Nawaz's health doesn't improve then the time period can be extended, adding that the government officials will be able to contact Nawaz through the Pakistani embassy.