Imran Khan addresses the nation at Prime Minister House in Islamabad. File

Tariq Butt, Staff Reporter

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday expressed concern over former premier Nawaz Sharif’s deteriorating health.

The premier took to social media and said that political differences aside, his sincerest prayers are with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader.

Imran also noted that he has ensured that the former prime minister receives the “best possible healthcare and medical treatment.”

Earlier on Thursday, PML-N once again blamed the government for victimising Sharif by delaying treatment as part of a campaign against him and his family.

On Wednesday Imran ordered the Punjab government to provide “to ensure that Sharif gets the best possible medical are in accordance with the wishes of his family.

In a tweet, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcast Firdous Ashiq Awan said Imran has sought a detailed report on the matter from the Punjab government.

Awan further said that Imran had "prayed for Sharif and wished him a speedy recovery." Sharif was shifted to Lahore's Services Hospital on Monday night after his condition deteriorated which was confirmed by his fresh examination conducted by the government.

Sharif continues to be in a precarious condition in the Services Hospital Lahore because of the dangerously low platelet count and other grave ailments.
Two days back, he was rushed to the medical facility from the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) after his platelet count tremendously fell.

A six-member board of doctors is examining the former premier. Its head Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz said that the diagnosis of the reason behind the drop of the platelets has been partially done and medicines have been given to him.

He hoped that Sharif’s position would improve in three to four days. He said the disorderly working of spleen was the cause of the fall of the platelet count.
The board also plans to get a body scan of the ex-premier conducted by the Pakistan Institute of Liver and Kidney Transplant of Lahore.

Sharif has received transfusions of mega units of platelets. However, his condition grew worse so much so that his jailed daughter Maryam, whose request to visit her ailing father for an hour was earlier turned down by an accountability court, was rushed to the hospital from Kot Lakhpat Jail after the Punjab Home Department granted her permission.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid met the former premier at the hospital and later claimed that he was satisfied with the treatment. "We have informed him about his condition and told him that we can arrange any doctor that he wants to treat him. Even his personal physician is satisfied by the steps we have taken.”

The minister added that the former prime minister had not spoken about receiving treatment abroad.

Eminent specialist Dr Tahir Shamsi was called from Karachi to advise on the health of Sharif.

PML-N leaders Khawaja Asif and Ahsan Iqbal said that their concerns about Sharif’s health continue. He said Sharif has low mentality political enemies, who even do not know how to speak about their opponent’s ill health.

They said the PML-N would not forget those politicians who are ridiculing the former prime minister because of his serious illness.
Meanwhile, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday hurriedly filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking bail of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif on medical grounds.

"Nawaz Sharif must be allowed to undergo treatment within Pakistan or abroad as per his will,” said the petition.
The court held a brief hearing and issued notices to the medical superintendent of the Service Hospital Lahore, the Punjab home secretary.