Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has reserved its verdict on the petition of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Karachi president Dr Asim Hussain seeking permission to travel abroad to undergo a spinal surgery.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Junaid Ghaffar reserved the order after hearing final arguments from both parties. The decision would be pronounced on a date to be later fixed by the court’s office.

Dr Asim’s lawyer, Barrister Latif Khosa contended that his name was placed on the ECL without any plausible reason only to deter his client from undergoing medical treatment abroad.

He said that Dr Asim need immediate permission to travel to London to undergo a spinal surgery there or else his life would lose his life.

Dr Asim, the PPP Karachi chapter president and close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, had petitioned the court to have his passport back and travel restrictions removed.

Opposing the PPP leader’s request, the NAB’s lawyer argued that his name was placed on the ECL following the directives of the court, whereas his passport was also deposited along with the surety amount for the bail granted to him in two NAB references.

The federal law officer said that Dr Asim was facing grave charges prompting the investigating agency to file two references against him and others.

He maintained that his name was put on the ECL in the wake of the NAB’s request and the orders of the high court that approved bail for the PPP leader.

He requested the judges to dismiss his plea as he was not entitled to such concession.

During previous hearing, Dr Asim’s lawyer had submitted in the court the schedule of his planned visit to London for medical treatment.

He had presented the copy of an air ticket of his client for London of May 07, saying his client was critically ill and wanted to fly for London for medical treatment and was expected return on May 21.

The PPP leader was released on April 01 after about 19 months when the SHC granted him bail in two corruption references.

Dr Asim is facing two corruption cases for allegedly depriving the public exchequer of Rs 462 million by misusing his authority to get land allotted illegally, encroaching upon the state land for expansion of Dr Ziauddin Hospital, money laundering, illegally awarding multi-billion gas processing contracts and receiving kickbacks.

His lawyer Barrister Larig Khosa submitted that a medical board set up to examine the health of Dr Asim had advised him for treatment abroad. He needed lumbar disc replacement surgery which is not possible in Pakistan, the counsel said while quoting the nine-member medical board.

He pleaded the judges to allow his client to travel abroad to have medical treatment.

Earlier on April 15, the ATC-II Judge allowed Dr Asim to travel abroad for two weeks subject to furnishing a surety of Rs 2 million. The period of two weeks will start from the day he leaves Pakistan, it added.

The judge ruled, “In case he does not come back, the government would move to take over his Ziauddin Hospital.”