NAB rejects minister’s view on Nawaz’s medical reports

LAHORE: At a time when some federal and Punjab cabinet members are clamouring for bringing back former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from London, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also been embroiled into the controversy surrounding `doctored medical reports’. Passing the buck on to the NAB regarding the alleged `fake’ laboratory reports of Mr Sharif, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has opened a new Pandora’s box by demanding that the bureau should be investigated first.

NAB contested Dr Rashid’s statement saying it has not recruited or hired doctors. Talking to a private TV channel, Dr Rashid said during detention, former PM’s primary blood samples and reports were managed by the bureau itself. “NAB should also be investigated for preparing his first report... from which laboratory it got it,” she said. Talking to Dawn, a NAB official said on Monday that the bureau was an investigation agency which did not have its own doctors. “NAB recruits investigation officers, prosecutors and some experts of different fields but doctors have never been hired by NAB ever. Rather, we request the government to depute doctors for routine medical check-up of suspects and also seek services of dedicated duty doctors for any emergency,” he said. The official further said for transportation of suspect(s) to hospital, a Rescue 1122 vehicle remains standby round the clock. “Doctors deputed at the NAB office in Lahore belong to the Punjab government.