Nawaz’s family was never barred from meeting him: Bukhari

LAHORE: Information Minister Punjab, Samsam Bukhari, said the government never stopped family of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from meeting him in jail, ARY News reported Tuesday.

Speaking in the ARY News programme, Bukhari said the manual of jail was strictly being implemented.

He said Nawaz Sharif was trying to pressurize the government to move out of country. “In the last two weeks, Sharif met his numerous friends and as well as the family members,” the minister said.

He, however, added that the permission to go abroad could only be given by the court.

Read: Supreme Court issues notice to NAB on Sharif’s bail petition

Bukhari said the prime minister had a clear stance that no one would be given the NRO.

“Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz several times bragged about the hospitals it built, but their leaders never preferred to get themselves treated from there,” he asked.

Stating he was not questioning the health condition of Nawaz Sharif, the minister, however, said the government wasn’t entitled to take decision on sending Sharif for treatment abroad.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition filed by Nawaz Sharif challenging the Islamabad High Court’s verdict dismissing his bail application in Al-Azizia corruption reference.

The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khan Khosa put off the hearing until March 26.

Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Haris submitted medical reports of his client, stating a board of medical experts had recommended transferring him to a hospital equipped with all essential facilities.