Nawaz Sharif released from jail, to receive treatment in Pakistan
Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was released from jail today, a day after the Supreme Court granted him six weeks' bail to receive medical treatment within the country. Sharif, 69, was lodged in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail since December last year, serving seven-year imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case. He's also barred from leaving Pakistan. Read the details here.
Sharif suffered four angina-attacks in recent weeks, said his daughter
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, who denies wrongdoing, has suffered four angina (chest pain) attacks in recent weeks, according to his daughter Maryam Nawaz. On Tuesday, a three-member bench of SC headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa accepted Sharif's appeal and allowed him to get medical treatment from any health-facility of his choice within the country, as he's barred from leaving Pakistan.
PML-N leaders, family members received Sharif at his Lahore residence
The deposed prime minister's supporters and party workers gathered in large numbers outside the jail and showered his car with flowers as he left the area. Some PML-N party workers moved along with Sharif's car till his residence. The three-time prime minister was received by PML-N leaders and his family at his house in the Jati Umra Raiwind area in Lahore.
Release got delayed as documents reached jail 10hrs after court-order
Sharif's release got delayed as the court order and other required documents could not reach the jail for more than 10 hours after the bench's direction. The Supreme Court observed in its order that several senior doctors had suggested that Sharif's history of hypertension, cardiac and renal ailments may present a "mild-moderate risk" if he is to undergo angiography.
Sharif directed to deposit two bail-bonds, surrender after six weeks
Keeping in mind the doctors' suggestions, granting Sharif relief for a limited period is a "reasonable" request, the top court said. It directed Sharif to deposit two bail bonds worth Rs. 5 million Pakistani rupees ($35,423) each, receive medical treatment and surrender after six weeks. PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif thanked the court for "meeting the merits of justice".
We thank SC for considering gravity of the situation: Shahbaz
"We thank the SC for considering gravity of the situation in the light of the medical reports of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. We also thank the nation and workers of the PML-N whose prayers had made this day possible," Shahbaz said. He said that Sharif's health and well-being is the utmost priority of the party and that would be their primal focus.
Sharif family complained of lack of treatment under Imran's government
The Sharif family has been complaining that the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan was not providing adequate treatment to the three-time former premier who has serious health complications. In 2017, three corruption cases were registered against the Sharif family.
Corruption-cases registered after SC disqualified Sharif in Panama Papers case
Three corruption cases, Avenfield properties, Flagship investment and Al-Azizia steel mills, were registered against the Sharif family by the anti-graft body in 2017, following a judgment by the Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in 2017. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Avenfield corruption case in July 2018, which was related to his properties in London.
Sharif was convicted in Al-Azizia graft case last December
Sharif was given bail in September. In December, the accountability court convicted him in the Al-Azizia graft case but acquitted him in the Flagship corruption case. The Al-Azizia Steel Mill case is related to setting up steel-mills in Saudi Arabia allegedly with corruption money.
