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Saturday, October 5, 2024

Maryam Nawaz threatens hunger strike: Should Nawaz be given special treatment?

Maryam Nawaz threatens government with a hunger strike if her father - Jailed former premier - Nawaz Sharif is not given homemade food, which the jail authorities denied on not giving any prisoner preferential luxuries to inmates. Should they be allowed seeing Nawaz's medical health.

News Analysis |

Maryam Nawaz, vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has warned the movement of a hunger strike if it does not allow her to see her father or send him homemade food. From the past few days, the government has decided to ban homemade food for Nawaz which has sparked criticism by the party and Sharif family. The jail authorities stated that they feared homemade foods were causing bad effects on the health of Nawaz Sharif. They said he was a convict and could not be allowed luxuries under the law.

In a series of tweets, Maryam slammed the government and also warned with the possibility of a hunger strike. “The fake government has imposed restrictions on homemade meals for Nawaz Sharif. The staff who took his food has been waiting outside the jail for the last five hours,” said Maryam in a Twitter thread.

Maryam Nawaz also clarified that the former PM has refused to eat prison food. “Mian sahab has refused to eat prison food. If they [the government] do not take back this restriction in the next 24 hours, then I will approach the court.”

Nawaz Sharif has been convicted by a court of law. He has been awarded punishment. He now needs to be treated as per law, not according to the wishes of Maryam or any other PML-N loyalist.

“If I don’t get help from the court, then I will sit outside Kot Lakhpat jail. Even if I have to go on a hunger strike, I will do it,” she warned in another tweet.

“I don’t trust these oppressors, they can mix anything in Mian sahab’s food,” she said, adding her warning should not be considered a mere threat and that she would go through with it.

Former PM’s doctor, Adnan Khan, also tweeted saying; “this is extremely disturbing.”

In a statement issued by Shahbaz Sharif, President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he expressed that Nawaz Sharif is a heart patient and needs homemade food to control his health and diet, whereas the government is doing injustice by depriving him of it.

Moreover, the opposition leader conspired that Prime Minister Imran Khan is extracting revenge against him, “Listen, Imran Khan, you can’t break our morale with your cruelty. Our morale is high as a sky,” he added.

Read more: Maryam Nawaz demands PM Khan’s Resignation

Political commentators believe that the PML-N now wants special treatment for Nawaz Sharif which is, in essence, is negation of the rules of law. It is believed that since Nawaz is a convicted prisoner, therefore, he must not be treated with special or additional protocols. Anwar Lodhi, journalist and prominent political analyst, said “Mian shb is a convicted prisoner. He should be given food according to the jail manure. Why do you want a special treatment for him?”

Sabir Shakir, Bureau chief ARY TV and prominent political commentator, also recently noted that the problem with the former ruling party is that it is reluctant to accept reality. “Nawaz Sharif has been convicted by a court of law. He has been awarded punishment. He now needs to be treated as per law, not according to the wishes of Maryam or any other PML-N loyalist,” he said.

Read more: Maryam Nawaz slams government, ignores some hard facts

Journalists and political commentators believe that Nawaz Sharif is now well and should be given medical facilities as per the law. Treating one prisoner different from others actually raises questions against the promises made by Prime Minister Khan before his elections as PM, to make the looters pay for what they did, to provide justice for his country.