IHC to hear Nawaz’ bail plea on medical grounds on 18th

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday adjourned hearing till February 18 on former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s bail plea on medical grounds in Al-Azizia Steel Mills case verdict.

The court, however, permitted him to withdraw his previous bail plea clubbed with the main appeal against his jail sentence.

A divisional bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kayani, conducted the hearing on miscellaneous petitions of Nawaz Sharif for bail.

Opposing the bail plea, NAB prosecutor Jahanzeb Bharwana argued that the petitioner could amend his previous bail plea and add to it medical reasons in accordance with the law.

The court had to see whether two petitions could be filed on one subject.

He pleaded that the petitioner had the option to mention the same reasons in his previous bail plea.

The imprisonment sentence could be suspended in only extraordinary situations in accordance with the apex court orders, he said.

He further said the accused could avail himself of bail only in hardship matter under the NAB Ordinance 1999.

The NAB prosecutor pleaded that it would be appropriate if the accused withdrew his previous bail petition before filing a new one.

Justice Kayani asked the petitioner’s counsel if medical grounds also fell in hardship matters. Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris said bail could also be granted due to delay in the case. The medical record produced before the bench was a recommendation of the medical board, he said.

Justice Farooq remarked that hardship could be anything and delay in case proceeding was just a factor of it. Justice Kayani said hardship varied from case to case.