KARACHI: A team of doctors from the PNS Shifa hospital conducted a preliminary medical check-up of former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf at his daughter’s home in Karachi, where he is staying, and got hold of history of his tests for further treatment, Dawn learnt on Sunday.
Sources said the three-member medical team visited the former president’s residing place and advised for angiography to ascertain the level of danger to his heart.
Besides, the sources said that the experts were told of ache in his backbone.
It is learnt that a special facility in the PNS Shifa was going to be established for Mr Musharraf, where entrance would only be allowed to his relatives and assigned doctors for security concerns.
However, the sources said, it was not clear when would he be admitted there, while, according to his close aides, he was in Karachi for ‘a few days’.
It is, however, expected that Mr Musharraf would be admitted to the hospital in next 24 hours.
Leaders of Mr Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) said that he was in Karachi basically to see his daughter and meet relatives and friends.
“He wanted to reside for a few days with his daughter at her Karachi residence,” said a local APML leader.
He said all rumours about the 70-year-old — now head of his own faction of Muslim League — ‘falsely claiming’ about his leaving the country had proved wrong.
“He is a brave man, all his life and a fighter too to his core. He will never escape.”
Rashid Qureshi, a former major-general and Mr Musharraf’s close aide, said he would be going back to Islamabad after a few days stay in Karachi.
The sources said Mr Musharraf’s stay might not be longer than a week during which he would take care of his treatment and see close friends.
Officials in the provincial home department said ‘all required’ security measures had been put in place in and outside all the places where Mr Musharraf had indicated to go during his stay.
“The provincial government has taken all measures to provide security to him with the help of police and Rangers personnel,” said a senior provincial official.
He said the security cordon had already been around Mr Musharraf’s abode in the upmarket neighbourhood. Besides, security agencies were on alert to ensure security to his life.
Mr Musharraf had arrived in Karachi from Islamabad on Saturday evening in a chartered plane amid tight security and was taken to the General’s Colony in Zamzama in a large convoy.