ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday rejected a petition filed by the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, seeking the suspension of his seven-year sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills Reference on medical grounds.
The two-member bench of the IHC consisting of Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani announced the short order in Islamabad, wherein a large number of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and workers had gathered.
In its order, the bench dismissed the petition as non-maintainable, and said that all diseases Nawaz Sharif has been suffering from are curable in Pakistan.
The IHC bench had reserved the verdict on Nawaz Sharif’s bail petition on February 20.
اسلام آبادہائیکورٹ نےنواز شریف کی العزیزیہ ریفرنس میں سزا معطلی درخواست کی درخواست خارج کردی۔نواز شریف نے طبی بنیاد پر سزا معطلی اور ضمانت کی استدعا کی تھی۔اسلام آبادہائیکورٹ نے20فروری کو احتساب عدالت کی جانب سے دی گئی7 سال قید کی سزا کے خلاف دائر درخواست پر فیصلہ محفوظ کیا تھا pic.twitter.com/vf43jzUFg0
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) February 25, 2019
PML-N to Challenge IHC Verdict
Meanwhile talking to media, the PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that they would adopt a legal course and file an appeal against the IHC’s decision.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that they were very optimistic that Nawaz Sharif’s bail plea would be approved; however, the IHC’s verdict disappointed them.
Nawaz Sharif has been receiving medical treatment in Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital for medical treatment since February 15. Prior to that, he was imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail.
Click Here for Al-Azizia Steel Mills Company verdict
The former prime minister was sentenced to seven years in prison on December 24, 2018 by the Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills Company (ASCL) Reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Later on January 26, 2019, his Counsel Khawaja Haris moved the Islamabad High Court against the verdict.
