In compliance with Lahore High Court (LHC) order, Ministry of Interior on Monday granted a one-time permission to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for medical treatment for four weeks.
According to a notification issued by Ministry of Interior, in continuation of this ministry's memorandum dated November 13, it has been decided by way of an interim arrangement to allow a one-time permission to Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for his medical treatment for a period of four weeks, during his bail period, in compliance with the order of the LHC order dated November 16, which recorded undertakings given by Shahbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif, respectively.
In its notification, the ministry reproduced the undertakings provided by Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif. Shehbaz Sharif in its undertaking says: "I, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, son of late Mian Muhammad Sharif, do herby undertake to ensure return of my brother Nawaz Sharif within four weeks, or as and when certified by doctor that he has regained his health and is fit to return back to Pakistan.
"I further undertake to provide end-periodical medical reports of the doctor duly notarized by the embassy to the registrar of this court. I also undertake that if at any stage the federal government has credible information that Nawaz Sharif is living abroad despite his fitness to travel, a representative from Pakistan High Commission would have a right to meeting with his physicians to verify or confirm about his health."
The undertaking of Nawaz Sharif says: "I, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, son of late Mian Muhammad Sharif, do herby undertake to return to Pakistan as per my past record to face the process of law and justice within four weeks as soon as I am declared healthy and fit to travel back to Pakistan by my doctors. I also hereby bind myself to the undertaking given by my brother Shehbaz Sharif."
The notification says that operative part of the court order says "Admittedly, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has been granted one-time permission to travel abroad in view of his critical health but subject to the condition mentioned in para 1 of submitting an indemnity bond of 08 million UK pounds or equivalent to $ 25 million or equivalent rupees and Rs 1.5 billion, are under judicial scrutiny and also in view of the undertakings of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, operation of the impugned memorandum is suspended to the extent of the said conditions and Nawaz Sharif is granted one-time permission to travel abroad as interim arrangement for four weeks and will return when certified by doctors that he has regained his health and is fit to return back to Pakistan."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019