ISLAMABAD: A bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was constituted on Monday to hear and decide a fresh petition filed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif seeking bail in the Al-Azizia case on medical grounds. The division bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani will hear the case on Tuesday. Earlier, Nawaz Sharif through his lawyer Khawaja Haris filed a fresh petition, making the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent as respondents. The PML-N supremo’s lawyer contended that his client’s life is under threat owing to his fast deteriorating health. He quoted doctors as saying Sharif’s treatment is impossible inside prison. He said political opponents are making propaganda that his client is looking for an NRO but one should not forget that he [Nawaz] returned to the country leaving his ailing wife in London last year to face cases. “Nawaz facing life threats owing to his worsening health and his treatment is not possible in the prison”, the doctors have said in their report filed with the bail plea. Sharif wanted to get himself treated from the same doctors who treated him in the past, abroad, the plea read. According to the medical report, Sharif is facing kidneys and heart issues. “Political opponents are making propaganda that my counsel is looking for a NRO, but one should not forget that he [Nawaz] reached back Pakistan by leaving his ailing wife, who died of cancer in the UK”, the plea read. On May 8, Nawaz Sharif had returned to Kot Lakhpat prison on late Tuesday, following the expiry of his six-week bail on the medical grounds awarded by the Supreme Court. The PML-N supreme leader was sentenced to seven years in prison and was fined Rs1.5 billion and $25 million in the Al-Azizia corruption reference by an accountability court on December 24, 2018. However, he was acquitted in another reference related to Flagship Investments. Besides, he was also disqualified from holding any public office for the period of 10 years. The disqualification will go into effect following his release from jail after serving the seven-year sentence. NNI
