The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directed the PIMS hospital to constitute new medical board to examine ailing former president Asif Ali Zardari.
Zardari is facing corruption charges and is currently admitted to the PIMS Hospital owing to his worsening health.
A two-member special bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamir Farooq took up the bail plea of the PPP leader seeking his release on medical grounds. At the outset of the hearing, Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naek apprised the court that his client is suffering from several diseases like heart, diabetes, and pleaded to pass orders for his release on bail. The IHC CJ asked Naek about the medical report of his client. “Is medical report of the former president attached with the plea,” he asked. To this, he replied in affirmative.
Later, the court adjourned hearing of the case till December 11 and ordered PIMS hospital to constitute a new medical board for medical examination of the former president. The court ordered that Zardari’s personal physician should be made part of the new medical board. The IHC also ordered the PPP leader’s counsel to submit the report before next hearing of the case. The Pakistan People’s Party president, who was arrested in June this year for his alleged role in a multi-billion rupees money laundering case, moved the court on Tuesday over a month after the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was given similar relief.