SC grants Nawaz six-week bail for medical treatment

Ag APP

ISLAMABAD: A respite for ailing ex-premier but with some strings attached, as the Supreme Court on Tuesday granted six-week bail to Nawaz Sharif for medical treatment, but still he would have to seek the same within the country.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, granted the bail to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid in Al Azizia reference on medical grounds against two surety bonds of Rs 5 million each. Two other judges on the bench were Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi.

Justice Khosa read out the short order, which was reserved earlier in the day. He remarked the former premier would have to surrender himself to prison authorities once the bail period was over. If he failed to surrender, he would be arrested, he added. The order stated in case Sharif wished to apply for bail when he returned to jail after six weeks, he would have to approach the high court.

During the proceedings earlier in the day, Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris submitted medical reports of the former prime minister. The chief justice asked Haris he had submitted an additional document in the court. The counsel responded he had submitted a letter from Dr Lawrence to Dr Adnan, who is his client’s personal physician. The chief justice remarked the document was a correspondence between Person A and Person B and was not addressed to court. He inquired about the legal status of the letter, written by Dr Lawrance to Dr Adnan. Justice Khosa observed the letter had been written by a private individual to another private individual. How the court could determine that letter’s authenticity, he asked. He remarked the bench had read it since it was submitted by Haris. He asked the counsel how could that letter be presented as evidence? Dr Lawrence’s letter was not addressed to the court, the chief justice remarked.

Haris said he was not solely depending upon the letter in the case. He said the former prime minster was suffering from heart ailment and required angiography.

He said his client’s blood sugar level and blood pressure needed to be monitored constantly.

Sharif’s counsel said his client was also suffering from kidney disease which was in the third stage, and would need dialysis if it advanced to the fourth stage.

Justice Khosa asked the counsel if he had any other proof of Sharif’s deteriorating health apart from Dr Lawrence’s letter. He questioned whether the court should believe Dr Lawrence letter as it was and if Lawrence had said Nawaz’s kidney ailment had reached stage four, should the bench believe it as well? He asked Haris he was establishing his case on medical grounds and all that court had as evidence was Dr Lawrence’s letter.

Justice Khosa asked could the bench take a letter as a basis for proof in a criminal case? Haris said five medical boards had been formed to examine Sharif’s medical condition and each one had declared the former premier’s kidney ailment was at the third stage. They had also recommended Sharif should be admitted to a hospital, he added. Haris said Sharif had been diagnosed with angina and that he had already had two attacks.

He said Sharif’s condition was worsening gradually and urged the court to consider the seriousness of his medical condition. Sharif’s health did deteriorate in prison, he added.The chief justice observed the PML-N Quaid had been suffering from the medical conditions for several years but he had quite an active routine. He remarked the court had already reviewed Sharif’s medical reports that were submitted earlier.

The chief justice asked Haris the medical history was quite old. The court wanted to see if bail could be granted keeping in view those medical conditions, he added.The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday had also submitted an appeal opposing Sharif’s bail petition and asked that it be rejected. Haris had requested the court to grant an eight-week bail.