IHC to hear Nawaz Sharif’s bail plea on medical grounds today

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up the plea filed by the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking bail in the Al-Azizia case on medical grounds on Wednesday (today).

The division bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani will preside the hearing.

In the last hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)had submitted its detailed reply in the court.

The NAB has requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to throw out a petition filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking his release from prison on medical grounds.

In a detailed reply submitted to the IHC in response to Sharif’s plea, the anti-graft watchdog stated that the petition at hand is the third one seeking relief on the grounds similar to previous ones and therefore, is not maintainable and liable to be dismissed with exemplary costs.

NAB stated the grounds on the basis of which Sharif sought his release are “non-conclusive observations contained in a medical report of the so-called Special Medical Board and recommendation and does not manifest any serious ailment endangering the life of the petitioner and on this ground alone the petition merits dismissal.”

“According to medical reports compiled by the special medical board of the Sharif Medical City, the petitioner is suffering from two alleged ailments, including Lymphadenopathy and Renal Artery Stenosis causing hypertension,” reads the reply.

Sharif is currently serving a jail term of 7-years on being proven guilty in Al-Azizia reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Earlier, Sharif had returned to Kot Lakhpat Jail upon the expiry of six-week bail granted to him by the Supreme Court on medical grounds.