SC rejects Nawaz Sharif's bail extension plea

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday rejected a petition filed by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif for an extension in the bail granted to him on medical grounds, ARY News reported.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa heard the case. The bench also includes Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi.

“We gave 6-week bail for the treatment, but the time was utilized in going through tests only”, the CJP remarked.

Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris in his argument before the bench said, the SC had said in its verbal judgment that, the High Court can be contacted for an extension in the bail, whereas no such thing was in the written judgment of the plea.”

To this, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa, the court gave observation not the judgment in verbal. “We cannot predict about the future.”

“Doctors can comment better on his illness,” the top judge observed, adding, “This was part of the package that you can request for a bail extension after six weeks.”

“Your client has many options”, the CJP remarked.

Haris said health condition of his client is worsening and his heart problem cannot be treated in Pakistan.

The CJP observed that seems Sharif’s health deteriorated more after getting bail. “The medical board had said an angiography was crucial, that’s why we had granted him bail,” the judge remarked.

Nawaz’s counsel replied, he consulted heart specialists and gone through several other tests after the bail. “He was treated for the sugar and hypertension”, Haris continued.

He also presented medical report of his client before the SC bench.

Khawaja Haris told the bench that his client was suffering from kidney-related ailment as well as depression, and asked the court to extend the bail for eight more weeks.

The CJP said, “The SC said bail was granted four the treatment, but the time was passed in just only in tests”.

The top court observing that there are no life threats to Sharif, binned the bail extension plea.

Nawaz Sharif is currently on six-week bail on medical grounds. His bail will expire on May 7.

The PML-N supremo had moved SC to seek extension in his interim bail owing to his health issues.

The Supreme Court had granted Sharif bail for six weeks on medical grounds on March 26 against surety bonds amounting to Rs5 million each.