Nawaz Sharif’s sentence suspended for eight weeks in Al-Azizia case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday granted bail to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia corruption reference, suspending his sentence for eight weeks on medical grounds.

A two-member judge bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Mohsin Akhtar Kayani reserved the verdict earlier today on the plea filed by Shehbaz Sharif seeking the suspension of his brother’s sentence in the case.

In its verdict, the high court ordered that if Sharif’s condition does not improve in eight weeks, then the Punjab provincial government should be approached for a bail extension.

The former prime minister was asked to submit two bail bonds worth Rs2 million. The court in the same case had granted the former premier bail on Saturday. Sharif has already been granted bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case from the Lahore High Court.

According to Nawaz’s personal physician, Dr Adnan, the former prime minister is in a critical condition, suffering from low platelet count and heart attack, further complicated by kidney issues.

During the hearing today, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar appeared before the court and presented a report regarding the health of the former prime minister.

Buzdar told the IHC that the former prime minister has expressed satisfaction over the medical care provided to him. He added that Sharif was under treatment at the hospital.

The chief minister his government will reform the prisons system. He further said he had visited the jails eight times over the last year and provided relief to close to 4,000 prisoners, and paid fines for at least 600 prisoners.

Earlier, the former premier’s personal physician Dr Adnan Khan told the court that a normal person’s blood platelets are more than 100,000 but Nawaz’s platelets were very low. Therefore, a medical board of highly qualified doctors was formed to review his health.

Dr Adnan told the court that the PML-N leader spoke of his cardiac issues while being treated for low platelets. He added that the former prime minister was fighting for his life because when the doctors gave him prescriptions for low platelets he suffered a heart attack.

Dr Adnan also informed the judges that Nawaz had multiple health problems. Medical Superintendent Services Hospital told the court that the former premier’s condition was still in danger.

After hearing the doctor’s opinion, Nawaz’s lawyer Khawaja Harris told the court that due to the former prime minister’s angina, doctors cannot treat all his ailments.

He added that according to a medical report, Nawaz’s heart was not pumping blood completely and that was necessary that all medical treatment should be given under a single roof.

Harris said that his client did not have any objections against the doctor’s intentions but the medical board itself was not satisfied with the results.

The lawyer said Nawaz should be allowed to get treatment from doctors of his choice if the court want to ensure his completes his sentence. He added that the former prime minister can continue serving his sentence if his health improves.