Former Pak PM Abbasi rushed to hospital over deteriorating health

Former Pakistan prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital for a check-up on Saturday after his health condition deteriorated.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was brought to the hospital by jail officials from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi where he is incarcerated in connection with the liquefied natural gas (LNG) scam, according to Pakistani media reports.

Abbasi underwent a check-up for hernia, heart and lungs, PIMS spokesperson Dr Wasim was quoted by Geo News as saying.

Abbasi was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on July 18 in connection with the LNG case, where he and others are accused of illegally awarding LNG terminal contracts for a period of 15 years to a company of their liking in violation of defined rules, incurring losses to the state exchequer.

A reference against the former prime minister is yet to be filed while his remand has been extended several times.

Earlier on October 28, Abbasi moved a plea at an accountability court seeking permission from it to undergo a surgery at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad in light of his poor health.

Abbasi served as the prime minister from August 2017 to May 2018, following the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif from office by the Pakistan Supreme Court over the Panama Papers scandal.