Islamabad: Pakistan’s Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted bail to former president Asif Ali Zardari on medical grounds in two references regarding fake bank accounts in Park Lane and mega money laundering cases.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah headed the bench which conducted the hearing. The court directed the erstwhile president to submit two surety bonds worth Rs 10 million each.
Additional prosecutor general National Accou-ntability Bureau read the medical reports of Asif Ali Zardari, which were submitted during the hearing, upon Justice Athar Minallah directions.
According to the reports, the former president is suffering from diabetes and heart disease and needs to undergo angiography, whereas, angioplasty may also be required while putting the stents. Zardari’s life is in danger and his treatment is not possible in jail, the report said.
The NAB told the court that two references regarding fake bank accounts in Park Lane and mega money laundering cases had been filed. The court remarked that it means the anti-graft wa-tchdog does not further require custody of the suspect as references have already been lodged.
The trial of Asif Ali Zar-dari will take time to finish therefore his bail is approved on medical gro-unds against surety bonds, the IHC said.
Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto thanked the court for granting bail to his father, Asif Ali Zardari.
“The former president’s medical reports were submitted in the court. We are thankful to the IHC for approving bail on medical grounds as Asif Zardari’s reports are worrisome. PPP will not come under pressure of anyone. Asif Ali Zardari is a huntsman and he is coming out to hunt down the player (Prime Minister Imran Khan). The incumbent government has destroyed Pakistan’s economy. This year will be the government’s last as we shall come to power next year with the help of people’s mandate,” he said. Zardari is admitted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad.
Pak court freezes Sharif’s properties
A Pakistani accountability court on Wednesday ordered to freeze properties of former Punjab Chief Minister and PML (N) president Shehbaz Sharif and his family members.
The NAB had filed a petition seeking to freeze pro-perties belonging to Sheh-baz Sharif and his family members.
The court, in its verdict, directed concerned autho-rities to freeze all assets of Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz, Suleman Sheh-baz. The court also annou-nced to freeze assets of Shehbaz Sharif’s both wives Nusrat Shehbaz and Tehmina Durrani.
The family members of Shehbaz Sharif have been given 14 days to file objections. Meanwhile, a violent clash that erupted bet-ween hundreds of lawyers and doctors left at least four people injured as a minister was also thra-shed when the charged lawyers stormed into the hospital.
