ISLAMABAD - Leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain Wednesday filed an early hearing application before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in a matter wherein he was seeking removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
The former federal minister urged the apex court on medical grounds to hear his appeal for removal of his name from the ECL.
Advocate on Record Chaudhry Akhtar Ali submitted the application saying that he has been instructed to submit before the court that Dr Asim Hussain intended to proceed abroad for heart surgery.
He stated that on account of the nature of disease, the matter needs urgent hearing. He added that the doctors in abroad have given a date of August 24, 2017 for the medical treatment.
“Ends of justice therefore demand that the case be heard before August 24, 2017 whereas the same was adjourned on the request of Deputy Attorney General to be fixed after one week. However, the case has not so far been fixed for hearing, for view of the urgency of the matter the petitioner prays for the hearing of this case on August 18, 2017,” maintained the applicant.
Earlier, Sindh High Court had granted bail to Dr Asim Hussain in two corruption references of Rs462 billion filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau. While granting the bail, Sindh High Court issued directives to Dr Asim Hussain to deposit surety bonds of Rs2.5 million in each case along with his original Pakistani and Canadian passports with the court official.
After the bail was granted, the former minister approached the Sindh High Court for removal of his name from the ECL, however, the High Court rejected his plea to which his counsel Muhammad Latif Khosa approached the Supreme Court for remedy in the matter.
On Wednesday, in the application for early hearing of the case, Advocate on Record Chaudhry Akhtar Ali requested the apex court to fix the matter for hearing tomorrow (Friday), saying that Dr Asim Hussain was given appointment in abroad for heart surgery on August 24, 2017.
He requested: “It is therefore respectfully prayed that the case may kindly be heard at an early preferably on August 18 in the interest of justice.”
