Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday summoned all medical reports of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after his counsel pleaded to bail out his client on the ground of his deteriorating health conditions in jail.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar heard the plea filed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris in IHC seeking the suspension of jail sentence handed to him by an accountability court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference on medical grounds.
Besides presenting medical reports of the former prime minister, the court also issued notices to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail to appear before the bench on February 6.
During proceedings, Justice Amir Farooq asked from Sharif's lawyer what was new about this plea. Harris informed the court that his client's family is worried about his health. He appealed the court to summon the reports of the medical board, complaining that test reports of the former prime minister had not been provided to them.
The plea was filed by the ex-premier's counsel, Khawaja Harris, in the IHC on Saturday last. The NAB, accountability court and superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail have been made respondents in the case.
In the plea, the former premier requested that the accountability court verdict sentencing him be suspended till a decision is announced on his appeal against the jail term. The sentence in Al-Azizia reference should be suspended and he should be granted bail on medical grounds against surety bond, the petition read.
Along with the petition, a medical report from the hospital dated January 17 has been attached. A few days earlier, a team of doctors had conducted a medical examination of Nawaz at the Kot Lakhpat Jail. Blood samples of the former premier were sent to Jinnah Hospital and he had been taken to Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) for further tests. Three tests, including echocardiogram (ECG) and thallium, were conducted of the former premier at PIC and his medical reports showed that his heart was bigger in size than normal.
Sharif had earlier also moved the IHC, seeking suspension in the seven-year jail term handed to him in the Al-Azizia reference. His plea has been fixed for hearing on February 18.