‘Ailing’ Asim requests SC for early hearing

Wants name removed from ECL for visiting the UK for heart surgery

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Asim Hussain has requested the Supreme Court to fix for August 18 his plea, seeking removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL) and the return of his passport so that he could travel to the UK for a heart surgery.

“On account of the nature of disease, the matter needs urgent hearing. The doctors have given August 24 as the date for the medical treatment,” reads and application moved by Asim on Wednesday through his counsel Sardar Latif Khosa.



“Ends of justice, therefore, demand that the case be heard before August 24. Earlier, the case has been listed on July 27 when the same was adjourned on the urgent request of [the] Deputy Attorney General and had to be fixed after one week. However, the case has not been fixed [yet],” it further reads.

Interestingly, on the last date of hearing, the court had said that at least 10 medical boards had been constituted to examine Asim, which was unprecedented, but none had recommended a surgery.



The PPP leader has been facing charges of corruption for allegedly depriving the public exchequer of Rs462 billion through misuse of authority by illegally allotting a piece of land; encroaching upon the state land for expansion of his Dr Ziauddin Hospital; laundering money; and receiving kickbacks.

Asim was released after 19 months from prison when the high court had granted him bail in two corruption cases. He is also facing charges of harbouring and facilitating suspected terrorists belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Lyari gang war.