The Accountability Court hearing the multibillion rupees fake bank accounts case on Monday reserved its judgment on a petition filed by former president Asif Ali Zardari, seeking to shift him from jail to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for availing medical facilities. The same court on August 16 sent Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Zardari to Adiala Jail in the mega money laundering through fake accounts case who had been arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on June 10.
After hearing Zardari's petition filed through his counsel Sardar Latif Khosa, Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir reserved the verdict. Arguing before the court, Khosa said that the former president was suffering from a number of health issues including heart problem that could pose a threat to his life. "Provision of health facilities to my client is his legal right," he said, adding that Zardari does not want to take anything from this government except provision of his legal rights.
He said, "We had not asked for apology even from former dictator General Zia-ul-Haq but judicial relief is our right. If my client faces further heart issue, these people would not shift him to hospital in time because it takes one-and-a-half-hour to reach hospital from Adiala Jail." The counsel said that medial board constituted for Zardari had advised to shift him to PIMS from jail for availing medical facilities. The jail authorities took him to the hospital just for one day and shifted him back to the jail on the very next day, he said, adding that the medical board had never said to admit his client to the hospital and shift him next day back to jail.
He said, "Our doctor will erect a tent outside the jail in order to conduct check-up of Zardari twice a day." He requested the court to direct the jail authorities to allow Zardari to keep his personal attendant inside the prison until he stays there. The judge asked how a private person can be allowed to stay in the jail along with a prisoner. On this Khosa said that private persons will stay outside the jail but one person will be with Zardari in daytime and another will be at night. The court after hearing the arguments reserved its judgment.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019