Sharif on verge of kidney failure in jail: Report

Islamabad: Jailed former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif is on the verge of a kidney failure and doctors have recommended to shift him to a hospital immediately, according to a media report. 

Sharif , 68, is serving a 10-year jail term in a corruption case over his family’s purchase of luxury apartments in London. He has been lodged in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since July 13.

A team of doctors from Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC), headed by its Chief Executive Major General (retd) Dr Azhar Mehmood Kayani, visited the prison and compiled a report after carrying out a detailed medical check-up. The report has now been sent to the Punjab Health Secretary.

The findings in the report suggest that Sharif be shifted to a hospital immediately, The Express Tribune reported. Sharif had complained about his health on Saturday.

Although his personal physician Dr Adnan had seen him twice in recent days, the jail administration called doctors from RIC to be sure of what had happened. The team spent about one-and-a-half hour inspecting his condition.

According to the medical board, his body’s water levels are very low, which has made his heartbeat erratic now. The amount of urea in his blood has also become very high, which could even lead to kidney failure, the report said.

The board’s findings suggested that Sharif be shifted to hospital immediately, it added. The Punjab Prisons sources told Daily Express that they are waiting for the Punjab home department’s orders about shifting Sharif to the hospital.

Caretaker provincial ministers Shaukat Javed and Ahmed Waqas Riaz said the jail superintendent has been informed in writing about Sharif’s health issues and the home department has formed a medical board which will perform another checkup today to decide on whether to shift him to a hospital, the report said.

They confirmed that Sharif’s medical tests suggested he had kidney issues. The caretaker government is in touch with jail authorities and Sharif is getting better medical facilities, they added.