IHC, LHC seek Nawaz’s fresh medical report on bail plea

Ag Agencies

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday sought fresh medical report of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Friday (today) on a petition seeking suspension of his imprisonment sentence on medical grounds. The bench also sought reply from chief secretary Punjab, secretary home department, services hospital’s MS and medical board members on above petition filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s President Shahbaz Sharif. A division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani conducted hearing on petition moved by PML-N’s president along with the objections raised by the Registrar office.

To a query of Justice Kiyani, Nawaz lawyer Khawaja Haris said that his client was still in Services Hospital, Lahore, due to his ailment. He said that doctors had been summoned from Karachi to examine the health condition of former prime minister. He pleaded that doctors could not diagnose the disease of Nawaz Sharif so far.

The court directed all the respondents to submit reply by Friday and adjourned hearing of the case. It may be mentioned here that Nawaz Sharif was facing imprisonment sentence in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference.

Meanwhile, a division bench of the Lahore High Court on Thursday sought reports from a medical board formed for ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on a bail petition moved by his brother Shahbaz Sharif.

The court asked the advocate general to furnish a report on behalf of the medical board conducting treatment of Nawaz Sharif at the Services Hospital. A bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi was hearing a petition filed by Shahbaz Sharif seeking release of his elder brother on bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case on humanitarian grounds.

The bench also summoned Dr Mehmood Ayaz and called a report from Dr Shamsi on Nawaz Sharif’s health condition.

Earlier, the LHC registrar office raised objection to the plea seeking release of the former prime minister on bail on health grounds, saying that the petitioner is not an aggrieved party. The registrar office sent the matter to the chief justice of the high court for decision along with its objection raising the issue of locus standi. Later, the chief justice referred the matter to the bench led by Justice Najafi for adjudication.

Khawaja Haris requested an early hearing of the petition in view of the deteriorating health situation of Nawaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz also filed a bail petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

In her petition, she requested the LHC for bail because of serious illness of her father and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. She pleaded that she wants to look after her father and may be released on bail.

A division bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, after initial hearing of the petition, issued a notice to the NAB for it reply and adjourned the hearing until today (Friday).