LAHORE  -  Ground verification has shed light on the cir­cumstances surrounding 8-year-old Ammar Ibad’s recent hospitalisation at It­tefaq Hospital, revealing a complex situation that has led to speculation of propa­ganda against the govt.

Ammar Ibad is the son of Farooq Ibad, a prominent PTI ticket holder and the president of Imran Tiger Force Lahore. He was ad­mitted to Ittefaq Hospital on August 27 in a critical condition, suffering from a range of health issues, including a brain disorder and pneumonia. Upon ar­rival, he was immediately placed under the care of a medical team consisting of Dr Shumaila (Neurologist), Dr Khalid Pervez (Pulmo­nologist), and Dr Mohsin (Paediatrician). Due to the severity of his condition, he required intensive care and was admitted to the ICU.

Ammar remained in the ICU from August 27 to Sep­tember 8. During this time, he was diagnosed with a rare degenerative brain dis­order known as SSPE (Sub­acute Sclerosing Panenceph­alitis), which worsens over time and is triggered by a viral illness such as measles. It was revealed that Ammar had suffered from measles at the age of 2 and a half years, and SSPE had begun affecting him approximately three months ago, leading to noticeable changes in his behaviour and motor skills.

Throughout his stay, Am­mar’s family maintained a peaceful relationship with the hospital staff. They will­ingly covered all expenses, which can be substantial in a private hospital like Ittefaq, where daily ICU care alone costs between Rs15,000 to 20,000. However, the situ­ation took a turn upon Am­mar’s release on September 8. Although Ammar’s con­dition had stabilised, his family was informed that the illness required ongo­ing medical care. The family chose to continue his treat­ment at home. Ittefaq Hos­pital stated that they had no issue with an extended admission if the family had insisted, as they were capa­ble of covering the expenses amounting to Rs239,600.

It has come to light that the family’s strong association with PTI was known to the hospital staff soon after admission, as the family had begun inviting media channels to cover the situation. These interviews took place outside the hospital premises, as the hospital does not permit media coverage within its facilities.

This revelation has raised questions about whether the family’s misfortune was exploited for propaganda purposes, as the illness appears unrelated to the arrest of Farooq Ibad, Ammar’s father. The situation has now evolved into a complex narrative, bringing the child’s health struggles into the political spotlight.