Punjab govt will not extend Sharif’s bail
lahore — Punjab has decided against extending the bail granted to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on medical grounds, provincial Law Minister Raja Basharat said on Tuesday, Dawn reported.
Sharif is currently staying in London for treatment.
Addressing a press conference here, Basharat said: “The committee has decided that Nawaz Sharif’s bail can’t be extended further.”
He said the initial court order stated that Sharif was granted bail for eight weeks by the Islamabad High Court on October 29, 2019. However, he said that “a further eight weeks had passed since then as discussions were under way”.
“Till a decision by the Punjab government, this bail was to be automatically extended, therefore it was extended for 16 weeks,” Dawn quoted him as saying.
As 16 weeks passed, the provincial government wanted to be informed about developments regarding Sharif’s health, Basharat said. A decision to extend his bail could be made on the basis of that.
The IHC had earlier directed Sharif to seek the Punjab government’s permission for further relief if required.
“Till today he (Nawaz) has not been admitted to any hospital in London,” Basharat said. He added that nothing specific had been shared with the government regarding the PML-N supremo’s
There is no legal, moral or medical basis without any concrete proof for the further extension of the bail. Till today he (Nawaz) has not been admitted in any hospital in London Raja Basharat
Punjab Law Minister
health and the matter had been “lingering on”. Bashrat said the provincial cabinet had decided that there was “no legal, moral or medical basis without any concrete proof ” for further extension of Sharif’s bail. He said the Punjab government would now inform about its decision to the federal government, which will finally decide on the matter.
Reacting to the announcement of the Punjab government, PMLN senior leader Rana Sanaullah said the party would challenge the decision in the high court following discussions.
Sharif reached London for medical treatment on November 19, 2019.
He was also granted bail by the IHC on humanitarian grounds in the Al Azizia case earlier this month. He also secured bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case from the Lahore High Court. He is a suspect in the case.
On December 23, Sharif sought an extension in his stay abroad on the expiry of the four-week period granted by the LHC. The Punjab government constituted a panel to decide on it and sought fresh medical reports to take a decision.
A picture of Sharif along with some members of his family at a London restaurant had surfaced on social media in January. The photo raised questions about the condition of the former PM’s health.
Later on January 15, the Punjab government rejected Sharif’s medical reports which had been submitted on December 23.
The provincial government on January 30, once again asked Sharif to furnish fresh medical reports so that a decision on his request seeking more time abroad could be made.