Ailing Nawaz gets bail in sugar mills case.

Byline: Malik Asad and Wajih Ahmad Sheikh

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD -- Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was granted post-arrest bail on medical grounds by the Lahore High Court (LHC) in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case on Friday, but the same request in Al-Azizia reference would be taken up by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday.

The LHC granted bail to the Pakistan Muslim League-N's incarcerated leader after the head of a special medical board treating him at the Services Hospital termed his health condition critical.

'Health of Nawaz Sharif is critical and rapid decrease in his platelets is making it serious,' Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz told a division bench seized with bail petitions of Mr Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.

The LHC bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem held proceedings on the petitions from 9am to 3pm - with four short breaks.

PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif and other leaders were in the crowded courtroom for the final phase of hearing.

At the outset, Advocate General for Punjab Ahmad Jamal Sukhera informed the bench that Nawaz had been provided treatment as per international protocols. He said doctors foresaw improvement in his condition over the next two or three days, adding travel would not be advisable during this period.

National Accountability Bureau's special prosecutor Faisal Bokhari told the bench that NAB would present its opinion after viewing doctors' report.

When the bench resumed hearing after a few minutes, Services Institute of Medical Sciences' (SIMS) Principal Dr Ayaz informed it that during the diagnosing process all viral diseases, including dengue, had been ruled out as the cause for the decrease in platelets.

'What is the present condition of Mr Sharif?' Justice Najafi asked.

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Dr Ayaz replied: 'He is critical as something is destroying his platelets very very rapidly.'

He said medicines that Mr Sharif needed regularly for his past diseases were stopped due to thin blood and reduced platelets.

The bench rose and reassembled at 12.30pm when Dr Ayaz reappeared with a detailed report. This time another member of the board, Dr Kamran Cheema, also joined him.

Dr Ayaz said Mr Sharif's disease had not been diagnosed yet, but efforts were under way. He said Mr Sharif could travel if his platelet count crossed 50,000.

'What do you...