CJP finds alcohol in Sharjeel’s hospital room

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Inam Memon was shifted to Karachi Central Jail on Saturday after Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar found alcohol bottles, cigarettes and drugs in his hospital room during a surprise visit.

Earlier, before taking up cases at the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry, the chief justice made surprise visits to three hospitals and examined the rooms of political prisoners.

As the chief justice entered the Sindh’s former information minister’s room on the sixth floor of Karachi’s Ziauddin Hospital, which had been declared sub-jail, no nurse or doctor was present.

According to eye-witnesses, the chief justice examined Memon’s room for nearly three minutes and even questioned about the PPP leader’s health.

Bottles of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes were found from Memon’s room which the court staff confiscated. The chief justice upon return to SC’s Karachi Registry remarked, “I found three bottles of alcohol from Memon’s room.”

“The attorney general should visit and see what is happening,” he added.

Hours after the CJP’s surprise visit, police sealed Memon’s hospital room and shifted him to Karachi Central Jail. Blood samples of the Sindh former information minister were also taken.

The chief justice also made a surprise visit to National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) where he examined the room of Omni Group Chairperson Anwar Majeed, who is under trial in a money laundering case. Justice Nisar also questioned about the health of the close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari and confiscated some documents.

He also visited the VIP ward of the hospital where Majeed’s son, Abdul Ghani Majeed, is admitted. Later during the day, Prisons DIG Nasir Aftab further said that two men were arrested from Memon’s room.

The DIG prisons said investigation into the matter was under way and police officials will also be probed.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Jam, one of the two men arrested from Memon’s hospital room, said, “I work for someone else and only came here for two days.”

Stating that he is unsure why he has been arrested, the suspect further said, “Police officials said there was honey and oil in the bottles of alcohol found in the hospital room.”

SSP Police Omar Shahid while speaking to the media said a lab test will be conducted of the alcohol bottles found from Memon’s room.

“If a facility is declared a sub-jail, its responsibility lies with the police, however, inquiry will also be conducted against hospital administration,” the SSP Police said.

A case will be registered as per law based on the evidence, he said. Meanwhile, PPP leader Nasir Hussain Shah said that he was told that the bottles had honey and oil in them and that the medical report will prove the same.

Memon underwent an operation some time back, Shah added.

“We respect the chief justice,” he said, adding that there are other pending cases too, which need attention.

He, however, went on to say it is condemnable if there was indeed alcohol in the bottles and that an inquiry should be held.