News Analysis |
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail. Bilawal called on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to improve the medical facilities being provided to elder Sharif.
Bilawal visited Nawaz in the Lahore jail between 2-3pm to inquire about his health on Monday. The Bilawal-led PPP delegation comprised Hassan Murtaza, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Jameel Soomro, among other senior party leaders.
While speaking to media outside the jail, PPP chairman like Nawaz’s daughter and close aides said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo is “very ill”. On behalf of PPP, he said, “I request the incumbent government to provide him with the best treatment up to his demands.”
There are political observers who argue that the PML-N and PPP are now going to enter into a new agreement whereby the former will assist the later to deal with corruption charges and vice versa.
On Prime Minister Imran Khan’s directives, Punjab government has already announced that Nawaz will be facilitated with the hospital of his choice; wherever he wants his treatment for within country, he will be shifted there. the But former PM who is interested to leave the country and wants to go to London for his treatment has categorically rejected the proposals of Punjab government.
In a rather emotional tone, PPP chairman said that “our cultural and religious values despite having political differences, teaches us to inquire about the health of a person who is unwell.” Moreover, he hoped that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government make a decision on “humanitarian ground” as for keeping a heart patient “under pressure and stress is akin to torture”.
Read more: Bilawal to meet Nawaz in jail
PM Khan also tweeted and stated that “I have asked the Punjab CM to ensure that every health facility in the country is made available for Nawaz Sharif to get the treatment of his choice. The federal govt will assist wherever required. I wish him good health. “
I have asked the Punjab CM to ensure that every health facility in the country is made available for Nawaz Sharif to get the treatment of his choice. The federal govt will assist wherever required. I wish him good health.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 9, 2019
Punjab’s health minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid in a press conference on Monday said that PPP and PML-N are doing politics on the health of Nawaz Sharif. Rashid lambasted the daughter of Nawaz, Maryam for saying that his father is not being taken care of. “State-of-art healthcare facility is being provided to Nawaz Sharif on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan and CM Punjab,” Rashid said.
In the present scenario, Asif Ali Zardari is facing inquiries pertaining to money laundering and Nawaz is already in the jail, therefore, they are now planning to have a joint venture.
However, some political analysts criticized PM Khan for his special offer to a prisoner who has been convicted by a court of law. It has been argued that the basic principle of genuine democracy is the rule of law. In the case of Nawaz Sharif, a special treatment being given to him has shaken the very idea of the rule of law and equality before the law.
خان صاحب آپ پورےپاکستان کے وزیراعظم ہیں،جیل کےتمام قیدیوں کے برابرحقوق ہیں لہٰزا یہ ہدایت آپ سب کیلئےجاری کریں ورنہ قوانین موجودہیں۔امتیازی سلوک کی آئین اجازت نہیں دیتا۔اقتدار پاکستان کا پسندلیکن علاج اور ڈاکٹرز پاکستان کے پسند نہیں۔اللہ تمام مریضوں کو صحت دے۔ https://t.co/foVOEwUw3x
— Sabir Shakir (@ARYSabirShakir) March 10, 2019
There are political observers who argue that the PML-N and PPP are now going to enter into a new agreement whereby the former will assist the later to deal with corruption charges and vice versa. Hence, meeting of PPP chairman with Nawaz Sharif is being seen as a message to the establishment and incumbent government that both PPP and PML-N are on the same page. Secondly, the purpose of the meeting reportedly was to lessen the distance between Asif Ali Zardari and elder Sharif. As a matter of fact, in Panama Papers case PPP did not cooperate with the PML-N up to its expectations which reportedly hurt Nawaz.
Read more: Are PML-N and PPP jointly pressurizing PTI to release Nawaz Sharif?
In the present scenario, Asif Ali Zardari is facing inquiries pertaining to money laundering and Nawaz is already in the jail, therefore, they are now planning to have a joint venture.