ISLAMABAD - An accountability court (AC) on Tuesday rejected former President Asif Ali Zardari’s petition to transfer him to Karachi for medical treatment.
He had submitted an application through his counsel, Farooq H Naek, during the proceedings of the fake bank accounts case. He prayed that his health condition is worrisome and should be given permission to get treatment of his choice from Karachi. Presiding over the hearing, AC judge Azam Khan inquired about the suspect Anwar Majeed whether he had been brought to the court. The counsel for Majeed said that his client was unwell and was undergoing a medical procedure in Karachi.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor said that Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) had set two days for Zardari to meet his legal aides and three days to meet his family members. There were five days set for Zardari’s meetings, he said.
Court accepts Faryal’s request to meet brother
In response, Naek said that if there were five days permitted, they could withdraw their application.
Another counsel for Zardari, Latif Khosa, said that his client’s entire medical history was in Karachi. He said that Zardari was in the hospital but his medical history was not available in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, NAB opposed the application seeking to shift the former President to Karachi and said that if Zardari wanted to submit such a request, it should be submitted to the government.
He said that the former President was being provided complete treatment and if he wanted to consult a private doctor, he should submit a request to the government, adding Zardari had already been shifted from jail to a hospital.
NAB’s prosecutor argued that the court had already shifted Zardari to the hospital, but for all other facilities, he had to write an application to the govt. The application to shift Zardari to Karachi was not suitable in the case, he said.
Meanwhile, the court accepted a request by Zardari’s sister, Faryal Talpur, to be permitted to meet him.
The court said that Faryal Talpur could meet her brother once.
Extending judicial remand for Zardari and Talpur, till November 26th, in the case, the court initially reserved its verdict on the former President’s request to be shifted to Karachi for treatment, later turned down the request by Zardari.