ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court has released a detailed judgment on the plea filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, admitting that the medical history of the petitioner suggests multiple ailments including the ones related to cardiac complications.
In a 4-page verdict released on Tuesday, the apex court found the suspension of the sentence for a limited time reasonable.
“In this peculiar backdrop, and extending due deference to the consistent medical opinion of senior doctors available on the record, the prayer made by the learned counsel for the petitioner regarding admission of the petitioner to bail upon suspension of his sentence for a limited period has been found by us to be reasonable,” the order read.
In the short order pronounced earlier in the day, the former premier was granted bail for six weeks on medical grounds by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.
The former PML-N supremo, who has been directed to submit two surety bonds, each worth Rs 5 million, is not allowed to leave the country.
Along with Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris, a number of PML-N leaders including Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Pervaiz Rasheed, Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal and Marriyum Aurangzeb attended today’s hearing.
Due to limited seating in Court no.1, special passes were provided to regulate the entry in court house while lawyers, petitioners, parties and journalists were allowed to witness the hearing.
The ex-premier was sent to seven years behind bars in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference by the accountability court in Islamabad in December last year.
Nawaz Sharif was also convicted in the Avenfiled reference by the accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir, however, he was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court.
The three-time prime minister had been relocated between Kot Lakhpat Jail and hospital multiple times on the recommendation of the medical board, however, recently he refused to be relocated to any hospital.
