Medical board to decide Zardari's further hospital stay.

Byline: Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD -- The medical board of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) will examine former president Asif Ali Zardari on Monday (today) to decide whether he needs a further hospital stay or can be discharged.

'Even though most test results of Mr Zardari are normal but the final decision will be taken by the medical board,' PIMS executive director Dr Ansar Maxood told Dawn.

Mr Zardari had been complaining of lower back pain, weakness and anxiety due to which he was shifted to PIMS from Rawalpindi's Adiala jail on Oct 22 where a number of tests were carried out after which the hospital declared that he was out of danger.

Moreover, neurologist Dr Amir, medical specialist Dr Shajee and cardiologist Dr Naeem examined Mr Zardari.

Dr Maxood said that even though the platelet count of Mr Zardari showed 120,000, which is low but 'it wasn't unusual as the patient is taking a number of medicines'.

Platelets are the cells that circulate within one's blood and bind together when they see damaged...