From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Monday filed a petition at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to be excused from a hearing tomorrow pertaining to the Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references.
Nawaz argued that he was undergoing treatment abroad due to illness and cannot attend the hearing for the same reason; therefore, he be granted an exemption. The former premier further argued that his treatment in London had been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic and that his doctors had not yet permitted him to travel back to Pakistan.
Once the doctors give permission to return after recovery, “I will come to Pakistan on the first flight,” he reportedly said in his petition to the IHC. The PML-N leader said he had provided medical reports and various other documents in his bail extension request to the government of Punjab but it rejected the request “for malicious purposes”.
A fresh medical report has been sent and would be brought on record, he added. Nawaz explained that his legal counsel advised him that challenging the decision without appearing in the court would be useless.
