Judge’s absence may stall Panamagate hearing for a week

Doctors advise Justice Saeed full bed rest for a week

RAWALPINDI: Although doctors at Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) discharged Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh on Sunday, hearings of the Panamagate case are unlikely to take place this week as the doctors have advised him complete bed rest for at least seven days.

Justice Azmat Saeed, who is a member of the bench hearing the Panamagate case, had undergone angioplasty last week. Justice Azmat Saeed was kept in the hospital for six days.



Doctors have advised the judge to undergo a medical examination after seven days. Daily hearings of the Panama case discontinued after Justice Sheikh’s illness, the Supreme Court will not take up the case next week because of the judge’s absence.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also visited the RIC for a routine medical check-up.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday had adjourned the Panamagate case hearing till Monday.



The judge was admitted to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology following chest pain.

On January 4, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa who is heading the SC bench ruled the hearings of the Panamagate case will be conducted daily without any adjournment.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2017.