Al-Azizia case: Nawaz' plea to submit additional documents accepted by IHC
It was necessary for Nawaz to go abroad to get rid of mental stress: Lawyer
ISLAMABAD (DUNYA NEWS) – Former premier Nawaz Sharif’s appeal seeking permission from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the submission of additional medical reports has been approved.
As the court resumed the hearing of his bail plea on medical grounds in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case on Wednesday, Nawaz’ lawyer Khawaja Haris said Sugar and Blood Pressure of Nawaz are uncontrollable and treatment only possible abroad.
A two-member bench comprising of Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani presided over the hearing today.
The court questioned what treatment was done during Nawaz’ stay out of jail for six weeks. To this Khawaja Haris said after March 25 the health condition of Nawaz worsened and it was necessary to go abroad to get rid of mental stress.
He said foreign doctors’ report should be allowed to be submitted in the court, adding that bail on medical grounds is different from other cases.
DG NAB Rawalpindi assured the court that NAB would not delay in submitting response to bail pleas.
The court accepting the plea to submit additional documents adjourned the hearing till June 27.
Contrarily, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi also submitted its response over the matter, following the court’s directives, and termed the bail plea “impermissible” for hearing, and subsequently requested the court to dismiss the application.
Earlier on June 17, the superintendent of the Kot Lakhpat Jail and a medical officer had submitted their reply in the IHC over health status of Mr Sharif, who has sought suspension of his sentence in the case while filing a second petition.
Reportedly, in a report submitted by the jail superintendent, it was mentioned that Mr Sharif has been suffering from diabetes, blood pressure and health related diseases.
It further stated that the former prime minister had a heart bypass surgery in the years between 2011 and 2016, and stents were placed in his heart in the years 2001 and 2017.
Moreover, the court was also informed that Mr Sharif’s health condition was better under the current medical treatment offered to him. It added that when he was asked to undergo an ECG medical test, he refused it.
Besides, his blood pressure and sugar reports were also attached with the overall health status report, including a list of medicines which his doctors have recommended him.
Importantly, the jail superintendent has also pleaded with the court to dispose of Mr Sharif’s bail application.
On June 11, the IHC had adjourned hearing on the petition, and deferred it till June 19, while a notice was issued to director general of the NAB Rawalpindi to submit their response over the matter.
On June 4, Sharif’s personal doctor took to Twitter, after examining him at the jail, and stated: “His life is at risk. This is a warning.”
“Yesterday around 04 AM in the morning he felt unwell & breathless, requested guards to open cell door as he choked,” Dr Adnan Khan had tweeted. “It took awhile for him to settle after using sublingual nitrate spray.”
Responding to the doctor’s statement, Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz lamented that she had not been allowed to meet her father despite his precarious health.
On March 26, the Supreme Court had granted him a six-week bail on medical grounds, which ended on May 7.
It is to be mentioned here that that forme PM had moved IHC seeking suspension of his sentence in Al-Azizia reference.
The NAB chairman and the superintendent of the Kot Lakhpat Jail were made parties in the plea.
Contrarily, the NAB has also challenged Sharif’s acquittal in the Flagship Reference.
On Dec 24 last year, accountability court judge Arshad Malik had convicted Sharif in the Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment reference. The court sentenced him seven-year imprisonment, besides imposing a fine of Rs1.5 billion and $25 million on him. The accountability court, however, acquitted him in the Flagship Investment and other London-based companies owned by his children.
Besides, he was also disqualified from holding any public office for the period of 10 years. The disqualification will go into effect following his release from jail after serving the seven-year sentence.
