Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Karachi President Dr Asim Hussain on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking removal of restrictions on his travelling abroad.

Dr Asim, a close friend of former president Asif Ali Zardari, petitioned the apex court through his counsel requesting it to issue directives for the concerned authorities to strike his name off the Exit Control List (ECL). Barrister Sardar Latif Khosa, the petitioner’s counsel, submitted that his client was suffering from various chronic diseases which may cost him dearly if he wasn’t allowed to undergo medical treatment abroad.

Citing the Federal Government, Interior Ministry and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the petitioner has pleaded to the court to order removal of his name from the ECL so that he could travel to London for treatment. Earlier on June 5, the Sindh High Court (SHC) had turned down his plea for permission to have treatment abroad, ruling that the diseases Dr Asim was suffering from were curable in Pakistan.

The PPP leader has been facing corruption charges for allegedly depriving the public exchequer of Rs462 million by misusing his authority to get land allotted illegally, encroaching upon the state land for expansion of Dr Ziauddin Hospital, money laundering and receiving kickbacks.

He was released after 19 months from prison when the high court had granted him bail in two corruption cases. Dr Asim is also facing charges of harbouring and facilitating suspected terrorists belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Lyari gang war.