F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday accepted the bail petition of former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for hearing and sought reply from National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
A divisional bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani heard the petition of Nawaz Sharif seeking his bail in Al-Azizia Steel Mills verdict on medical grounds.
The petition had stated that Nawaz Sharif had been suffering from numerous dangerous diseases in accordance of his medical reports. The medical expert had stated that Nawaz’s condition was critical and his treatment was not possible in jail. It stated that former prime minister’s political rivals had been propagating against him and terming his bail plea as an attempt to avail ‘NRO’, which the petition said was a contempt of court. Nawaz stated that it wouldn’t affect the prosecution case if his sentence was suspended till final judgment on his appeal against trial court’s verdict in Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.
He prayed the court to grant him bail under medical grounds. The petitioner had nominated National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Accountability Court and Superintendant Kot Lakhpat Jail as respondents in his plea.
It may be mentioned here that an Accountability Court (AC) Islamabad had announced a seven-year jail to former prime minister last year in Al-Azizia Steel Mills case. The IHC bench had previously dismissed the bail plea of Nawaz Sharif under medical grounds. However, he availed relief from Supreme Court, which granted him a six week bail for medical treatment.
After ending the bail period, Nawaz again sent back to Kot Lakhpat Jail to face his sentence.
Meanwhile, the same bench adjourned hearing on NAB’s appeal till June 25, challenging the acquittal of Nawaz Sharif in Flagship Investment reference by the trial court.
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) will start hearing of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s bail petition in Al-Azizia reference on medical grounds today (Tuesday).
According to details, the two-member bench of IHC comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani will conduct hearing on the petition filed by Nawaz Sharif through his counsel on Monday.
Nawaz Sharif is currently serving a jail term of 7-years at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail on being proven guilty in Al-Azizia reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Chairman NAB and Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent were made parties in the plea while the recommendations of doctors hailing from the United Kingdom and the United States have also been attached with the plea.
According to the reports attached with the bail plea, doctors recommended that Nawaz Sharif’s condition is life-threatening and his treatment is not possible in the prison. The reports also said that former premier is facing kidneys and heart issues.
Former premier wanted to get himself treated abroad from the same doctors who treated him in the past, the plea read.
On May 8, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif returned to Kot Lakhpat Jail in the wee hours of in a rally of his party workers and leaders after expiry of six-week bail in a corruption case.
Flexes and banners were erected across the city to show solidarity with the PML-N supremo and the PML-N leadership had directed the party workers to gather at the Shanghai Flyover near Ferozpur Road for the solidarity rally.
Sharif was released from jail on March 27 on medical grounds after the apex court suspended his sentence in the Al-Azizia reference and granted him bail for six weeks.
The PML-N supreme leader was sentenced to seven years in prison and was fined Rs1.5 billion and $25 million in the Al-Azizia corruption reference by an accountability court on December 24, 2018.
However, he was acquitted in another reference related to Flagship Investments.
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.
