RAWALPINDI: Jailed PML-N leader, Hanif Abbasi, was shifted to Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) after he suffered pain in his chest on Monday.

The PML-N leader was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court in the ephedrine quota case on July 22 and has been incarcerated in Adiala jail.

A team of doctors headed by surgeon general and RIC Executive Director retired Maj Gen Dr Azhar Mehmood Kayani examined Abbasi in the emergency department.

“The doctors decided to carry out angiography on him on Tuesday,” said a senior doctor of RIC while talking to Dawn.

He said Abbasi informed the doctors that his two arteries were 60pc blocked and he had been taking medicines.

“Abbasi is a chronic pollen allergy patient and he also complains about breathing problems,” the senior doctor said and added that the jail doctor had conducted ECG on him.

He said Abbasi had been kept in isolation ward where his blood pressure was normal whereas reports of other tests including echo were awaited.

Hammas Abbasi, son of Hanif Abbasi, told Dawn that his father was offering prayer in his cell when he felt pain in chest and fell.

He said the jail administration immediately shifted him to RIC for medical checkup.

“The doctors thoroughly examined Abbasi and told the family members that two stents will be placed in arteries,” he said.

He said the security personnel and hospital administration were not allowing anybody to see Hanif Abbasi.

On the other hand, the district administration had not declared RIC as sub-jail.

A senior official of the district administration said they had not received any directives with regard to declaring the RIC as sub-jail from the provincial home department.

The RIC Executive Director retired Major General Azhar Mehmood Kayani was not available for his comments.

Meanwhile, a number of PML-N workers gathered at the hospital but no one was allowed to meet Abbasi.

In his tweet, Abbasi’s son has requested the well wishers to pray for his early recovery.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018