Accountability Court had found Nawaz Sharif guilty in Al Azizia Steel Mills reference last December and sentenced him to seven years in prison along with a hefty fine.
Challenging the Accountability Court decision before Islamabad High Court, Sharif sought bail relief in the matter but the High Court turned down bail application on February 25 to which former prime minister invoked appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court for relief on medical grounds.
Suspending the sentence in the matter, Supreme Court granted bail to Sharif for six weeks on medical grounds on March 26 with directives that the appellant shall not leave the country and shall surrender before jail authorities after expiry of the facility period otherwise he would be apprehended.
On Thursday, filing review petition, Khawaja Haris, the counsel for Sharif, sought permanent bail in the matter, supported by special medical board of Pakistani doctors opining that any form or degree of stressful situation, physical or psychological, will significantly potentiate the disease and enhance the risk factors leading to the chances of a sudden cardiac death of Nawaz Sharif.
“In our opinion, given Sharif's multiple co-morbidities, any form or degree of stressful situation, physical or psychological, will significantly potentiate the disease and enhance the risk factors leading to the chances of a sudden cardiac death or significant cardiovascular/cerebrovascular morbidities vis-s-vis multiple debilitating co-morbidities”, the doctors said in the report.
Medical report described that Sharif requires round the clock cardiac monitoring and he also needs day to day specialist care for his uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension. He needs special dietary management and daily titration of insulin dose whereas his medications have been optimized with strict dietary restriction and he is also advised stress management.
Seeking relief from top court in the matter, Khawaja Haris submitted, “the only feasible option available to the petitioner is to be treated by the same set of medical practitioners who had been treating him earlier in UK, and , accordingly, it is in the interest of justice that the further condition imposed for the petitioner's release on bail in the order of March 26 it is made clear that during this period the petitioner shall not leave or be allowed to leave the country and restricting him to get his medical treatment in Pakistan also merits review”.