Ailing Nawaz gets eight-week bail in Al-Azizia case.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday granted post-arrest bail to ailing Nawaz Sharif by suspending his sentence in the Al-Azizia reference. The court allowed the bail to the former prime minister for eight weeks and asked him to seek further extension from the Punjab government.

'Until the decision of the provincial government on the application, he shall continue to remain on bail,' said the order issued by an IHC division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.

'However, if petitioner [Nawaz Sharif] does not approach the provincial government within the period mentioned herein above, this order shall cease to have effect on lapse of period of eight weeks and the bail granted shall stand revoked/cancelled,' it said.

The court granted the bail against Rs4 million surety bonds. 'He [Mr Sharif] before the expiry of period of 08 weeks may approach the Government of Punjab under Section 401 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1898,' the court said.

Appearing before IHC bench, Punjab CM says former premier is being provided excellent treatment in Services Hospital

Unlike a similar order issued by the Supreme Court in which Mr Sharif was given bail for six weeks on medical grounds, the IHC verdict did not impose any foreign travel ban on the former premier.

During the hearing, Advocate Khawaja Haris, the lead counsel for Mr Sharif, informed the court that medical reports of his client had been shared with the doctors based in the United States and the United Kingdom. He said Mr Sharif was in a critical condition and the doctors had so far failed to diagnose the reasons for his extremely low platelet count.

He said that since there was a risk of multi-organ failure, Mr Sharif was required to be kept in a multidisciplinary medical facility where he was looked after round-the-clock by specialists. 'It should be the sole prerogative of the patient to get the medical treatment of his choice anywhere,' he added.

Dr Adnan, personal physician of Mr Sharif, informed the court that the situation of the former prime minister was critical and very serious. 'He [Mr Sharif] is not able to be moved for conducting medical tests; I've never seen him in such a critical condition for over two...