Bail plea: IHC orders forming medical board for Asif Ali Zardari

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed forming a medical board to examine the health condition of former president Asif Ali Zardari who is seeking pre-arrest bail in Rs8 billion suspicious transaction case, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Following Zardari’s pre-arrest bail plea, the high court decided to form a medical board to review his health condition. The court directed relevant authorities to form a medical board besides including medical superintendent (MS) of Ziauddin Hospital as a member.

It has been directed to submit Zardari’s medical reports within two weeks. The court has also accepted the petitioner’s plea for his exemption of personal appearance in the hearing.

Read: IHC extends Asif Ali Zardari’s interim bail

Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naek told IHC that they filed the bail petition on medical grounds and the court has already granted bail to him in two other cases. He added that a medical board had been constituted earlier in light of court directives.

He continued that Asif Ali Zardari is currently admitted to a private hospital due to his ailment. Naek pleaded the court to constitute a medical board again in the case. He added that Zardari is suffering from cardiac, diabetes and chest diseases.

Moreover, the fresh medical reports of the former president were also submitted to the IHC.

Read: Zardari moves IHC again, seeks acquittal in corruption references

The lawyer of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said that they will not oppose the decision to form a medical board comprising medics from the government hospital of Karachi.

Justice Aamer Farooq remarked that the decision will be taken after getting an opinion from the medical board. Justice Farooq said that experts are needed to ascertaining about the disease.

Later, the high court adjourned the hearing till January 28.