'Zardari to be shifted to PIMS hospital on medical board’s recommendation'

Interior ministry has accepted the recommendation, sources in Adiala jail say

RAWALPINDI: Former president Asif Ali Zardari is likely to be shifted from Adiala jail to a ‘VIP’ ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital on recommendations of a medical board constituted to examine the health condition of the PPP co-chairman, The Express Tribune has learnt.

According to sources privy to the development, Zardari is expected to be taken to PIMS at 9am on Thursday.

The decision was taken by the Ministry of Interior in light of a report submitted by the board, which had conducted a comprehensive medical examination of the former president at the Rawalpindi prison earlier this week.

The PPP leader, who is in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over corruption and money laundering charges in the fake bank accounts case, would be shifted to the hospital’s ‘VIP’ ward in an ambulance under tight security arrangements Thursday morning, the sources added.

On August 19, an accountability court in Islamabad had extended the judicial remand of Zardari and his sister, Sindh lawmaker Faryal Talpur, till September 5 in the ongoing cases against the two.