ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday proposed to constitute board comprising doctors from all four provinces for medical check-up of PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain, who was granted bail by the Sindh High Court in two multibillion-rupee corruption NAB references.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal, heard the appeals of the NAB and Dr Asim Hussain.
Dr Asim has filed appeal in the top court to get his name removed from the exit control list (ECL).
The NAB approached the august court for cancellation of Dr Asim’s bail, which was granted to him by the SHC in March this year.
A SHC bench in March this year had granted bail to Dr Asim, a close aide of former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on medical grounds in the two cases that involve alleged corruption of Rs462 billion.
He was ordered to deposit Rs2.5 million surety in each case along with his original Pakistani and Canadian passports with the court official.
Justice Ejaz suggested constituting medial board comprising doctors from all the four provinces as in this case all the boards constituted earlier were under the Sindh provincial government.
However, Latif Khosa, representing Dr Asim, asked the court not to set up an example, which has no precedence.
Justice Ejaz said that there was also no example of constituting 10 medical boards.
Khosa said that he had himself seen Dr Asim in the ICU.
Upon that, the judge stated that as a counsel he must visit his client.
The bench again issued notices to Ministry of Interior in removing PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain’s name from the ECL.
NAB Special Prosecutor General Nasir Mughal argued that 10 medical boards were constituted for check up of the PPP’s former senator, adding none of the medical board suggested surgery.
He contended that Dr Asim could not be granted bail on the medical ground as the treatment of the disease was available in Pakistan.
“No doctor is ready to give opinion against Dr Asim,” Mughal maintained. The special prosecutor general argued that people who had gone out of the country on medial ground did not return.
Sardar Latif Khosa representing Dr Asim argued that all medical boards were constituted on the court’s orders.
He argued whatever had happened with Dr Asim was a nightmare, adding such state authorities should not have uncivilised attitude with his citizens, adding the trial would be possible if his client would remain alive. Justice Ejaz said that if a medical board was constituted for any of the prisoner then it would report that the prisoner was suffering from many diseases.
“Almost every patient is suffering from tension and depression,” he added.
The judge said that the poor prisoners were not even sent to the hospital for check-up, leave aside constitution of any medical board. He said that all the citizens should get equal treatment.
Justice Manzoor Malik inquired from the special prosecutor general why the NAB was not expediting the trial? However, the prosecutor general remained quiet on this query.The case was adjourned till July 20th.
