SC to hear Nawaz' petition seeking bail extension on May 3

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear on May 3 former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s petition seeking an extension in the bail granted to him on medical grounds.

The petition will be heard by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.

On Tuesday, Nawaz Sharif filed a petition in the apex court which stated that a review petition had been filed in the Supreme Court on its March 26 decision. The petition sought an extension in Nawaz’s bail until a decision on the review petition.

Nawaz Sharif’s bail is set to expire on May 7.

Nawaz Sharif had been in jail since December 2018 following his conviction in Al Azizia corruption reference in line with the Supreme Court’s July 2017 verdict. An accountability court on December 24 had found Nawaz guilty in the Al Azizia Steel Mills reference and sentenced him to seven years in prison.

He had been granted bail on medical grounds by the apex court on March 26 for six weeks.

On April 25, Nawaz Sharif submitted a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking permanent bail.

It has been prayed in the petition that during pendency and till the final decision of the titled review petition, the court may extend the period for which the applicant has been granted bail upon suspension of his sentence vide order dated 26.03.2019.