ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday admitted for hearing two separate petitions of former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur seeking bail on medical grounds in the cases filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
A division bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq will conduct hearing on these petitions today.
Zardari is under arrest on charges of money laundering and presently undergoing treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. The NAB arrested him after the cancellation of his pre-arrest bail by the IHC in the fake bank accounts case on June 10.
In his petition filed through his counsel Farooq H Naek Advocate, Zardari adopted that he is a chronic patient suffering from multiple ailments and he is also a heart patient having three stents in his heart. Zardari added that he is also suffering from diabetes which means that he has to constantly monitor his blood sugar levels.
According to the petition, “The petitioner’s health has deteriorated considerably and his medical checkup was conducted by a medical board of PIMS. Thereafter, the petitioner was taken to PIMS hospital for medical examination and since, as time progressed, his condition is worsening, the medical board recommended that the petitioner be admitted to the hospital in order to ensure proper medical care under supervision of specialists.”
He added, “At this stage it is pertinent to mention that the learned Accountability Court also notices the frail health of the petitioner and made appropriate direction to the Superintendant Jail in this regard.”
The former president maintained that he is seriously ill and his condition is unstable insofar as his condition may deteriorate further unless bail is granted.