The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of an appeal filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif against his conviction in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference until May 9. The court also accepted his application for exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds for the day. A two-member bench of the IHC heard the appeal. Earlier on Monday, a legal team of Nawaz Sharif, on his behalf, filed an application in the court seeking his exemption from personal appearance in the hearing. His updated health status, in the form of a medical report, also accompanied the application. His legal team contended that Nawaz could not appear before the court due to his ongoing medical treatment, and sought an exemption from personal appearance for a day. The medical report mentioned that he had been suffering from cardiac issues, irregularity in blood sugar levels and a third-grade kidney disease, and his health was being monitored thoroughly. Subsequently, the court directed the defence counsel to submit the complete updated record in the court. In February, Nawaz was diagnosed with serious health problems and the specially constituted medical board that examined him recommended that he be shifted to a hospital. The six-member board examined him at the Kot Lakhpat prison after other doctors suggested that he had cardiac problems and needed to be hospitalised.