ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday approved the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s bail plea on medical grounds, granting him a six-week bail.
The decision was announced by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who along with Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi heard the bail plea of Nawaz Sharif, who is serving a seven-year prison sentence awarded to him by an accountability court in the Al Azizia Corruption Case.
However, the Supreme Court didn’t allow Nawaz Sharif to go abroad; therefore, he would have to receive medical treatment from a doctor of his choice within the country.
The Supreme Court also ordered Nawaz Sharif to submit two security bonds of worth Rs 5,000,000 each.
After the completion of six-week time, the former prime minister will have to surrender himself before the jail authorities, and if required, he will have to submit a fresh plea for another bail on medical grounds.
It is worth noting that Nawaz Sharif’s Counsel Khawaja Haris had sought an eight weeks bail for the former prime minister, auguring that his client required a bail as it was requisite to alleviate his mental pressure while getting medical treatment in a free environment.
Earlier on February 25, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had rejected the petition filed by Nawaz Sharif, seeking the suspension of his seven-year sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills Reference on medical grounds.
LHC orders to remove Shahbaz Sharif’s name from ECL
Meanwhile, a two-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) consisting of Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed and Justice Mirza Wuqas Rauf also ordered to remove name of the former Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif from the Exit Control List (ECL).
