Punjab govt rejects Nawaz’s plea to stay abroad

Provincial cabinet sees no basis for allowing an extension in bail on medical grounds

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Tuesday announced that it had decided against allowing a further extension in bail on medical grounds to former premier Nawaz Sharif, who was undergoing treatment in London, and would send its recommendations to the Centre for making the final call on the matter.

The decision was made during a provincial cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in which a three-member committee tasked to deal with matters concerning the health of the Sharif family patriarch presented its report.

Provincial law minister Muhammad Basharat Raja said the committee had decided not to further extend the bail granted to the 70-year-old leader of the PML-N.

The Islamabad High Court had suspended the prison sentence of the ailing former prime minister on medical grounds for eight weeks in the Al Azizia case on October 29 last year so he could receive medical treatment abroad.

It had also directed him to seek the Punjab government’s permission for further relief, if required, “The court granted bail to him [Nawaz] for eight weeks on October 29 and another period of eight weeks has passed after that as discussions were under way,” Basharat explained at a news conference accompanied by provincial health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and information minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan.

He noted that the bail was to be automatically extended until the Punjab government made a decision. “Therefore, it extended for 16 weeks," he added.

After 16 weeks had passed, the minister said, the provincial government sought details about his Nawaz’s medical condition so that it could decide about his extending his bail "So far, he [Nawaz] has not been admitted to any hospital in London. Nothing concrete has been shared with the government about his health and the matter seems to be lingering on,” the minister added, explaining the reasons behind the decision.

“The Punjab cabinet has decided that there is no legal, moral or medical basis for further allowing the extension in bail without any substantial evidence.”
“We will inform the federal government about our decision. It will proceed further with the matter.”

The minister said the former premier’s personal physician had not maintained contact with the government. “The medical board is also not satisfied with the reports submitted by his physician.”
Basharat also said the government would approach the court for declaring Nawaz an absconder.

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Provincial health minister Dr Yasmin maintained that the government always believed the former premier could be treated in Pakistan.
In response to the Punjab government’s announcement, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said the party would challenge the decision in the high court after discussing the matter.

“The government would have rejected Nawaz’s plea even if it had all the reports,” he added. “He will return once he is healthy.”
Nawaz, who is serving a seven-year jail term, was diagnosed with an immune system disorder – acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) – in October 2019.

He remained hospitalised in Pakistan for weeks and reportedly was in ‘very’ critical condition. The PML-N supreme leader was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds by the Islamabad High Court on October 29.

He was earlier also granted bail by the Lahore High Court in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.

Nawaz, along with his brother and PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, left for Lon on November 20 -- four days after the Lahore High Court directed the federal government to remove the former premier’s name from the Exit Control List.

The PTI-led federal government had also allowed him permission to fly abroad for treatment after a board of doctors constituted by the government concluded that his treatment was not possible in Pakistan.

The former prime minister has been diagnosed with a complicated coronary artery disease and seeking an extension in his stay abroad from the Punjab government.